US 160 Grandview Interchange Opens
LA PLATA COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation opens the US 160 Grandview interchange this afternoon. The interchange will serve south-side properties and eventually provide a north-side connection to the hospital and Three Springs development. Interchange construction began in July of 2008, along with the construction of a fourth lane (westbound) through Grandview.
The interchange may or may not include a connection with US 550—a US 550 connection will be determined via the current US 550 at US 160 Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS). The SDEIS is available for public review and comment through November 28, 2011 (http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/us550-at-160).
This interchange is one of three grade-separated (unsignalized) interchanges selected in the 2006 Record of Decision to meet future safety and capacity needs on US 160 through Grandview. Future average daily traffic volumes on US 160 through Grandview—factoring in future development laid out in the City of Durango’s Grandview Area Plan—are projected to be 85,900 vehicles per day in 2030.
INTERCHANGE CONSTRUCTION & COSTS: The interchange has been constructed for a total cost of $47 million. Included in this project cost are the construction and paving of a fourth lane (2/3 of a mile long), four interchange bridges, six highway retaining walls, sub-structure work for two interchange ramps, earthwork for a 2,020-linear foot shared-use path, path retaining walls, a new signal at Farmington Hill, highway lighting, landscaping enhancements, wetlands mitigation, drainage improvements traffic control, signing and striping. (The total cost of the main overpass bridge is $6 million, including design and construction.)
Crews will complete work on a new median at the west intersection with CR 232, resulting in a change to right-in and right-out-only traffic movements at that junction. This work is expected to be completed by next Wednesday, weather permitting.
For information on other CDOT projects statewide, the public may log on to www.cotrip.org or call 511 from anywhere in the state. Or sign up to receive e-mail or text messages by choosing the green phone icon in the upper right-hand corner of CDOT’s web site at www.coloradodot.info.
