Some $85 million will be spent on highway construction and traffic-improvement projects in south-central and Southwest Colorado this summer.
The 30 projects, in 16 counties in Colorado Department of Transportation’s Region 5, are designed to increase safety and reduce traffic-related deaths and traffic congestion on roadways maintained by the state.
“Our objective is to improve the safety of Colorado’s entire transportation network,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said in a news release. “By investing in these improvements, we can enhance safety conditions for those traveling in the southwest and south-central regions and ultimately reduce the rate and severity of crashes.”
The 30 projects in Region 5 will involve work on hundreds of miles of roadway, numerous bridges, four culverts, and several intersections. Work includes new construction and the repair of existing infrastructure.
“New construction may include lane widening, new concrete safety barriers and the building of multimodal features such as new ADA sidewalks and ramps, and paths. Work on existing structures may include asphalt overlay, chip seal, guardrail replacement, and highway striping,” said CDOT Traffic and Safety Program Engineer, Julie Constan.
CDOT estimates Region 5’s 30 construction projects total $84.63 million and will employ 350 people. The projects frequently employ local engineering firms, construction companies and subcontractors that make up a workforce of hundreds of workers.
CDOT offers the following tips for safe driving through maintenance and construction work zones:Do not speed in work zones.Obey posted speed limits.Expect the unexpected.Watch for workers and drive with caution.Don’t change lanes unnecessarily.Avoid using mobile devices such as phones.Turn on headlights so workers and other drivers can see you.Expect delays.Allow ample space for the car in front.Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.Be patient.Travelers can gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:
Road conditions and travel information: www.COtrip.org. Sign up for project or travel alerts: http://subscription.cotrip.org/.See scheduled lane closures: codot.gov/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html. Connect on social media: Twitter@coloradodot and Facebook facebook.com/coloradodot.