CDOT Maintenance to Begin Sweeping Area State Highways
Past years’ data indicate the crews have typically begun this annual project—to rid highway shoulders of winter traction sand and other debris—from mid-April to late May. Here are some highway sweeping start dates over the past years:
2007 – May 22; 2008 – May 17; 2009 – May 4; 2010 – May 10; and 2011 – April 8.
This year CDOT will start sweeping operations next Monday, April 16, and continue until Memorial Day weekend in late May – just before the Iron Horse Classic Bicycle Race. Sweeping will be done by route following this progression in and around Durango*:
US 160 Durango to Hesperus
US 550 Durango to Rockwood (south of Durango Mountain Resort)
SH 3 in Durango
US 160 Durango to SH 172 (Elmore’s Corner)
SH 172 Durango to Ignacio
US 550 Rockwood to Durango Mountain Resort
SH 145 Cortez to Dolores
US 550 Coal Bank Pass to Silverton (starting May 14).
*Note that per state statue, CDOT does not sweep within the city limits—that is under the city’s jurisdiction. However, CDOT crews will assist within city limits after the above highway sweeping has been completed.
TRAVEL IMPACTS: Motorists approaching highway sweepers are asked to stay back, visible in the driver’s rear-view mirror, until there is a safe opportunity to pass. Sweeper operators will make every effort to pull over to let queues of motorists pass, but only when there is ample opportunity. Thank you for going slow and driving cautiously around CDOT’s sweeping operations. For information about other CDOT projects, log on to http://www.coloradodot.info/ or call 511 from anywhere in the state.
