Highway 36 Improvement Project Underway

May 4, 2011 - Central Eastern Colorado/CDOT Region 1 - ADAMS & ARAPAHOE COUNTIES – Initial preparations are taking place on U.S. 36 between the Watkins area and Bennett as the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) prepares to begin paving operations later this month.

In addition to asphalt paving, work includes shoulder and culvert improvements, and new signing, seeding and striping along Highway 36, between Interstate 70 (Airpark Road) and Bennett (mile 76.4 - 89).

Paving is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 16.  Flaggers will be alternating eastbound and westbound traffic through the work zone, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, so delays should be expected.  A reduced 35 mph speed limit also will be effect and vehicles wider than 12 feet will not be allowed to travel through the project area during work hours.

Operations will be suspended from June 26 to July 11, allowing unimpeded travel for farm vehicles during harvest.

“As part of this project, we’re recycling the asphalt and placing it down as the road base, and then paving the road surface with new asphalt,” says CDOT Resident Engineer Kevin Radel.  “In addition to being a cost-effective way of renewing the old asphalt, the new asphalt will provide the traveling public with a smoother road surface that’ll last at least ten years.  Safety also will be enhanced by the new signs and striping, since they improve visibility along the highway, especially at night.”

The $2.3 million project, contracted to LaFarge West, Inc., of Fort Collins, Colo., 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.