The Colorado Department of Transportation is letting residents know that construction will begin on U.S. Highway 160, or Main Street, early next week in Cortez, but it is for a good cause. The department is installing and upgrading sidewalk ramps to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to get around downtown.
The construction includes pouring new concrete and installing a new traffic signal at the intersection of Hawkins Street and Main Street.
Maple Street will be closed near the north side of Main Street next week, but businesses will remain open and accessible from the sidewalk.
“We’re not redoing the sidewalks, only the corners where the ADA ramp will go,” said Lisa Schwantes, spokeswoman for CDOT.
The new ramps will meet updated width and grade requirements for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Schwantes said, even where ramps already exist on Main Street.
A new surface texture will also be applied to help with wheels sliding down the decline, she said. A total of 34 new ramps will be installed, part of a larger, statewide push to make communities more accessible.
The outside lane of U.S. 160 may be closed for a portion of the construction on Maple Street, as well as Sligo Street.
The outer westbound lane of Main Street in Cortez will be closed near the intersection of Hawkins Street for the installation of new electrical wiring for traffic lights, which will arrive in late September. The west entrance to Cortez Plaza will also be closed, though the east entrance will remain open.
According to CDOT’s website, traffic control personnel will be present to guide cars.
Construction will take place between Aug. 10 and Aug. 14 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
ehayes@the-journal.com
