Pilot Cars to Direct Traffic through Highway 40/287 Work Zone

Beginning on Wednesday, April 6, pilot cars will be alternating one lane of traffic for five-and-a-half miles, beginning about seven miles southeast of Hugo and continuing south to mile 414.  This operation runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through June 2011.  Delays up to 25 minutes should be expected. Due to the reduced lane width, vehicle wider than 12 feet not be allowed to travel through the work zone.

Before pilot operations begin, flaggers will continue to alternate traffic through one or two locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Traffic stops up to 10 minutes should be expected.  A 40 mph speed limit also is in effect during work hours,

A four mile section, at the west end of the project, was reconstructed in 2010. 

In addition to rebuilding a ten-mile segment with concrete, construction also includes wider shoulders, new box culverts and bridge rails, drainage improvements, embankment work, and seeding.

The $10 million project is scheduled for completion in July 2011.

Traffic information about this or other CDOT projects is on the cotrip.org website, by calling 511 or via subscription e-mail.  To subscribe, please visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner.  The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including Southeast Colorado (Everything East of I-25 and South of I-70).