CDOT Hosts Public Open House for SH 13

GARFIELD COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation will host a public open house to share information on the next phases of construction on SH 13 north of Rifle, now in the design phase. The open house will be held next Tuesday, July 16, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Rifle Public Library on 207 East Avenue.

The scope of this next multi-phased construction project—start date pending funding—will largely reflect that of the projects in recent years that have improved the stretch between the Wyoming state line and the Garfield-Rio Blanco county line. The three phases will address the 12-mile stretch just north of Rifle, from mile marker 4 to 16 (from SH 325 to the county line). The project will involve reconstructing the highway to improve safety by way of correcting highway curves and hills to improve motorists’ (and cyclists’) sight distance, adding shoulders and rumble strips, adding several northbound climbing lanes, installing wildlife fencing and approximately twelve underpasses for large wildlife (each 12-foot by 10-foot).

Those with questions about the open house may call Andrew Knapp, project designer, at (970) 384-3328. For information on other CDOT projects, the public may log on to CDOT’s traveler information site at www.cotrip.org or call 511 from anywhere in the state. The public can also sign up on CDOT’s web site (www.coloradodot.info) to receive e-mail and/or wireless text alerts about highway conditions in a chosen area.