Colorado Department of Transportation schedules busy work season

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Colorado Department of Transportation schedules busy work season

Projects aim to increase safety, reduce traffic congestion

By Patrick Armijo City editor, Journal staff writer

Friday, June 21, 2019 1:26 PM

Updated: Friday, June 21, 2019 2:55 PM

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.

Highway project summaries

Here is a summary of Colorado Department of Transportation projects during the current construction season in La Plata and Montezuma counties:
La Plata CountyU.S. Highway 550, U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado Highway 3 signal improvements: Crews will upgrade and replace signals at 19 locations in and around Durango. It costs $2.37 million and is scheduled for March through June.Bridge maintenance and deck repairs: Countywide maintenance includes joint repairs, new asphalt on bridges and Americans With Disabilities Act compliance.It costs $2.3 million and is scheduled for August 2019 to May 2020.U.S. 550/160 sidewalk repairs: Crews will pour concrete and make sidewalks ADA-complaint on north Main Avenue, U.S. 550 from mile marker 21.5 to 24 and Camino del Rio from Sixth to Eighth streets. It costs $555,000 and is scheduled for June to September.Montezuma CountyU.S. Highway 160 Towaoc passing lane: Crews will add lanes and vehicle turnouts, realign Montezuma County Roads A and B and permanently close County Road 21, install a water line, provide structural integrity to a wooden structure, seeding, restriping, and install guardrails and fencing. It costs $12.08 million and is scheduled for May to December.U.S. 160 Mesa Verde chip seal: Crews will resurface a section from the east side of Cortez to the top of Mancos Hill and a 1.3-mile section of Colorado Highway 145 in Cortez. Work will include improvements to the interchange at Mesa Verde National Park. It costs $3.23 million and is scheduled for June through September.U.S. Highway 491 resurfacing: Crews will resurface from mile marker 36 to mile marker 54. Crews will improve signs, widen the highway, add gravel to shoulders and adjust guardrails. It costs $14.39 million and is scheduled for May to October.