The Keystone Parkway Design project aims to create a colorful and memorable entrance to the town of Keystone while recognizing environmental constraints and increasing pedestrian safety. Key elements of the design include seasonal plantings, efficient irrigation, and use of local materials like beetle kill pine. Intersections will be enhanced with landscaping, signage, and connections to walkways and bus stops to improve pedestrian experience and safety.

1. Project Overview The goal of the Keystone Parkway Design is to create a colorful and memorable
entrance to the town while recognizing the constraints of a harsh environment,
efficiently using water, and increasing pedestrian safety. Seasonal design,
reallocation of existing irrigation water, upcycling of local materials, and installation
of plant material are a few of the ways this project will enhance the authentic
Keystone experience.
"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be
one." - Frank Lloyd Wright
photo courtesy of Vail Resorts
Montezuma
Road
Parking Lot
Tennis
Club Rasor
Road
Keystone
Lake
West Keystone
Road
Golf
Course
The Keystone Experience - While mining was influential in bringing people to the Keystone photo courtesy of Max
Colorado Summit Magazine
Dercum,
area, the love of skiing and the desire to create a world class ski resort in the Rocky
Mountains inspired Max and Edna Dercum to found Keystone. This love of skiing continues
to attractvisitors. The repetition of a skiing theme throughout the parkway will evoke an
emotional and lasting impression of Keystone. “Keystone - The nature of the Rockies”

2. Irrigated Medians
Plan View Summer Season
Plan View Winter Season
Seasonal Design - Magnesium chloride, pollutants, sand, salt, compacted soils and
limited root space are additional enemies of plant material trying to grow in the
Keystone medians. These enemies are in addition to the extremely short growing
season, harsh winter winds and exposure. Rather than planting trees to fight against
these horrendous odds, why not create a design that embraces the different seasons?
Creating planters with interchangeable liners, one for summer and one for winter,
creates an impressive streetscape all year long.
Efficient water use - Drip irrigation will be used in the medians and at designated
intersections to water seasonal planters, trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses. The
elimination of sod areas and spray irrigation will reduce water demands.
Upcycling of local materials: Local beetle kill pine, discarded or donated
skis/snowboards ,and local cobble river rock will all be used in the Parkway design.
These inexpensive and plentiful resources will be used to create the memorable
aesthetic throughout the Parkway.

3. Irrigated Medians
Medians with irrigation are to
preserve healthy existing trees and
shrubs while reducing water use,
and adding interest through
seasonal design.
Colorful planters can be grown
indoors starting in May and moved
to the medians for instant,
summer long color.
Winter interest will consist of cut
Christmas trees with decorative
light. In exchange for the expense
and water used to get plant mate-
rial to establish and struggle to
Summer Season Raised Planter Winter Season Raised Planter continue growing, the mainte-
nance costs of changing from sea-
son to season will be more flexible.
Summer Season Seasonal Planters Winter Season Seasonal Planters

4. Irrigated Medians
Fence detail on existing planters:
Healthy plants and attractive
planters currently installed in the
medians will be preserved. Ski and
a beetle kill pine board fence will
add color and provide a "splash
guard" against magnesium
chloride.
Hardscape surfaces will be kept
where appropriate and a hard-set
cobble or exposed aggregate will
be installed where sod has been
removed.
All sod areas and spray irrigation
Summer Season Winter Season will be eliminated in the medians.
Drip irrigation will be installed to all
seasonal planters and hanging
baskets.
Summer Season Section View
Planters to be manufactured with ski
themed detailing
Summer Season Material Detail”Splash Guard” Winter Season Section View

5. Non Irrigated Medians
The addition of vertical elements in
the non-irrigated medians will
provide interest, color, and
structure to the medians. Posts with
changeable banners will provide
color and an opportunity to hang
wreaths, lights and other seasonal
winter displays.
An undulating fence line of wood
and ski or snowboard planks will
add color and interest to the non
irrigated medians. The use of skis
and snowboards as accents
throughout the medians will create
a memorable character. Keystone
View 1 View 2 will be further linked as a ski town;
the use of skis and snowboards in
the landscape will act as visual
markers of the Keystone ski culture.
View 3 View 4

6. Non Irrigated Medians
Plan View
Section View

7. Intersections
Visual markers, signage, and
enhanced landscaping at three
major intersections will help
Connection to Bus Stop
welcome people to Keystone.
While there are opportunities for
landscape improvements along
the Keystone Parkway, it is best to
focus on enhancing some of the
most well traveled intersections,
the Main Entrance to West
Keystone, the Rasor Drive
intersection and the Main Entrance
to River Run Village.
Sidewalk and cross walk to
bike path.
Pedestrian traffic and walkways will
be focused on in these
Summer Season Plan View Winter Season Plan View intersections, connections to
existing bus stops and/or the bike
path will be improved.
Summer Season Section View
Angled Wood Planks in the Landscape Winter Season Section View

8. Intersections
In addition to improving pedestrian
safety, corners will be enhanced
with signage, possible locations for
public art, and permanent
plantings. Plantings will be set
away from the highway at least 15'
to avoid the harsh roadway
hazards. They will also be elevated;
the edge of the planting beds will
be clearly defined to separate
planting areas from road base
areas.
Corners designated appropriate
for signage and/or public art will
be separated from the road edge
Summer Season Main Entrance Feature Winter Season Main Entrance Feature by a wood and ski/snowboard
accent fence laid into the slope.
This wall will be set back from road
to accomidate snow plows.
Summer Season Main Entrance Feature Side View Winter Season Main Entrance Feature Side View

9. Intersections
Summer Season Secondary Entrance Feature Winter Season Secondary Entrance Feature
Enhancing the Keystone Experience...a colorful and memorable entrance.