Highway 9 Project Underway near Hartsel

In addition to paving, the project includes guardrail replacement, crack or wingwall repairs at three crossings (Currant Creek-2/Thirty-One Mile Creek), and erosion control.

Only minor traffic stops – less than five minutes – are required this week at the south end of the project (mile 18) for drainage pipe work and manhole construction.  No work is scheduled next week.

Beginning on Monday, July 9, drivers should anticipated stops up to 10 minutes as flaggers alternate traffic through the work zone from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.  During project hours, the speed limit will be reduced to 40 mph and large loads wider than 12 feet will not be permitted to travel through the area.

“Our maintenance forces have chip and crack sealed Highway 9 through this area for many years to minimize the deterioration of the roadway but it’s time to complete a full-scale paving project since we’re seeing a lot of surface cracking across the highway,” said CDOT Resident Engineer Steve Harelson.  “The last paving project was back in early 1980s so this segment is long overdue for resurfacing.”

The $4.3 million project is scheduled for completion in October 2012.  It is contracted to Martin Marietta Materials Inc. of Raleigh, NC.

Updated information regarding traffic impacts on this or other CDOT projects is available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html or by calling 511.  To receive project updates via e-mail, 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 Southwest Colorado.