US 160/491 South Broadway Reconstruction Complete

Final work items completed this spring were:  remaining curb/gutter work, signal installation and activation at the US 160/491 junction; requisite ‘smoothness’ test on the new concrete; smoothing of rough areas with a process called diamond grinding; signing and pavement markings. The City of Cortez will conduct landscaping at a later date.

The work began last July and was suspended for the winter; the project resumed in March and had a scheduled completion of late April (a final inspection was conducted on April 23). With a $4.8 million contract, Lawson Construction crews reconstructed the highway with concrete between MP 37 (at the south end of Cortez) and MP 38, tying into the existing concrete pavement on South Broadway. Crews removed the existing asphalt roadway and replaced it with nine inches of concrete pavement.

Other upgrades included a new storm sewer at 7^th Street, improvements to intersections, ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps, and the new signal at the US 160/US 491 intersection. 

Given the poor sub-grade soils and numerous utilities beneath the existing asphalt surface, concrete reconstruction was determined to be the best solution for this stretch of highway. With this reconstruction, future maintenance on this stretch will be minimal and motorists will travel through this area without significant roadwork impacts for decades.

(Image on the right shows work in progress, full reconstruction of the highway.)

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