State Highway 13 Reconstruction Project Begins Monday

March 29, 2013 - Northwestern Colorado/CDOT Region 3 - Work will take place south of Meeker and north of Rifle - RIO BLANCO COUNTY — Beginning Monday, April 1, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will begin a reconstruction project on State Highway (SH) 13 near Meeker directly north of 14 Mile Creek.

The new section will begin at mile marker (MM) 25 and will go south to MM 22. The reconstruction will improve safety along this stretch of highway, and will widen shoulders to eight feet, add guardrails, add new drainage pipes, and will increase sight distance for motorists.

“This project is part of long-term corridor improvements for State Highway 13,” said Project Engineer Eric Peterson. “The highway sustains heavy truck traffic and will be greatly improved by the end of the work.”

Last fall, crews took advantage of favorable weather and in November 2012 began removing and replacing fencing along SH 13 in preparation for the widened highway. In the coming weeks, crews will continue work to replace fencing and will also begin culvert replacements throughout the length of the project.

Work will take place Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the end of October 2013. No detours are planned at this time, but motorists can expect alternating lanes of traffic during work hours and delays of up to 15 minutes. The speed limit will be reduced to 35 MPH through the work zone and traffic fines will be doubled. During work hours, no loads of more than 14 feet will be permitted. CDOT would like to remind motorists to obey all road signs and flaggers, and to drive Slow for the Cone Zone.

The $6.7 million project, contracted through Old Castle United Companies, is funded by Funding Advancements for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery (FASTER) legislation, which is dedicated to improving safety and replacing poor bridges.

To receive email or text alerts about the project, visit www.coloradodot.info/ and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. From the list, select “SH 13 Rio Blanco” from the list of options. Project updates and photos will be posted athttp://www.coloradodot.info/projects/sh13rioblanco. If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a message on the project hotline at 970-878-7107 or [email protected].