CDOT Region 5 Announces 2016 Construction Program
Learn more about Region 5 projects
CDOT Region 5 will host a telephone town hall at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, to provide the public with a forum to ask questions, and give input about construction projects and other transportation issues.
Residents from southwest Colorado will be called at random through an automated system and be invited to take part in the town hall. Persons not receiving the random call, but who may want to participate, can dial in toll-free at 1-877-229-8493, PIN 112034. More detailed information will be sent as the town hall date approaches.
Other resources
SOUTHWEST/SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO—Construction season is well underway, and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)'s Region 5 will have an estimated $115.23 million in highway, traffic and safety improvement projects for 2016.
Work will include projects that address roadway and bridge construction, or traffic operations improvements across 15 counties in southwest and south-central Colorado.
The 40 projects taking place throughout the region will involve work on:
- 734.5 miles of roadway;
- 8 bridges;
- 8 culverts;
- 46 intersections; and
- other features—including:
- 1 wildlife underpass;
- 5 crib walls;
- 2 town thoroughfares;
- 5 lane improvements; and
- 350 signs.
"We've inventoried our assets across the region, prioritizing where and how our resources get spent in order to get the best bang for the buck, and how to best maintain our existing infrastructure," said CDOT Region 5 Transportation Director Mike McVaugh. "By identifying roads and structures that are in most need of repairs or upgrades, we can extend the life of these assets, and make the investment to keep our roads safe and operational to the public."
The projects noted in the 2016 Traffic Watchers brief cover three main areas of work
- Engineering & Construction (Durango Residencies 1 and 2, and Alamosa Residency);
- Traffic Operations and Safety; and
- Off-Systems Local Agency Partnerships.
The west side of Region 5 (counties Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, San Juan, Dolores, Montezuma, La Plata and Archuleta) will see 14 construction projects totaling $52.8 million. The region's east side (counties Conejos, Costilla, Alamosa, Rio Grande, Mineral, Saguache and Chaffee) will have 10 construction projects totaling $36.63 million. These projects may entail new construction, the repair of roads, bridges and culverts, the rebuilding of retaining walls, and more.
Meanwhile, there will be six traffic and safety projects taking place throughout the entire region. Traffic and safety work may include installation or upgrade of signals, painting of new striping of the roadway and intersection improvements. Traffic and safety projects will total $8.81 million.
A few of the 2016 projects will be receiving money from outside sources. Off-Systems Local Agency projects noted in the attached brief total $16.99 million. These are typically funded in part through the federal government's Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), administered by CDOT, and matched by the local agency or municipality.
Other projects have been funded with Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships (RAMP) dollars. RAMP is a short-term program whereby CDOT has applied for funding through an application process with matched monies committed by local agencies to accelerate priority projects in the agencies' local areas.
Throughout the remainder of the year, Region 5 project engineers will continually make updates to the list of projects noted in the 2016 Region 5 Traffic Watchers project brief.
For more information about individual projects, and to obtain updates as project work progresses, contact Region 5 Communications Manager Lisa Schwantes (970-749-2015)
