US 24 Buena Vista Enhancement Project to Start
CHAFFEE COUNTY, COLO – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Town of Buena Vista will break ground on a partnership project to make roadway and drainage improvements along US Highway 24 in downtown Buena Vista on Monday, August 8. The project’s estimated total cost is $5.6 million, supported in part by CDOT's RAMP* access grant of $2 million. The project will address recommendations developed as a result of the Buena Vista US 24 Access Control Plan in March 2014. CDOT has contracted the work to A&S Construction of Cañon City, CO.
OPEN HOUSE: Meet project team members from CDOT and A&S Construction on August 2,
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Public Library located at 131 Linderman Ave. in Buena Vista.
PROJECT BENEFITS: The project is anticipated to reduce vehicular accidents and improve safety for all modes of travel. The work will reconstruct US 24 and enhance several blocks in Buena Vista’s downtown area and include the following benefits:
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New US 24 access control from Mill Street to Crossman Avenue,
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An asphalt overlay north of Crossman Avenue and south of Mill Street,
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Storm sewer and drainage improvements to reduce flooding,
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Enhanced left and right-turn pockets at the intersection of Main Street and US 24,
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Updated pedestrian crosswalks and sidewalks along US 24,
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ADA ramps at intersections and dedicated driveways to businesses,
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Relocation and upgrades of street lighting,
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Asphalt resurfacing and enhanced striping and delineation,
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Improved electronic intersection signalization for emergency vehicles.
"CDOT and the Town of Buena Vista have been working together to plan this project since March 2014," said CDOT Resident Engineer Arthur Miller. "With this partnership we anticipate that local citizens and travelers just passing through will experience a safer more inviting roadway to travel on."
WORK SCHEDULE: Crews will kick off construction during the second week of August. Work will begin on the west side of US 24, moving to the east side in late September. Standard construction hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with exceptions for extended holiday and festival weekends in August and September. A four-month winter suspension of work will begin in late November. When work resumes in March 2017, median island installation, asphalt replacement, and lighting activities are planned. The project is scheduled for completion by the end June 2017.
TRAVEL IMPACTS: A&S Construction crews will make every effort to minimize disruption to traffic and business access, but motorists should anticipate a reduction in speed limits and delays. One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open. Access to businesses will be accommodated at all times. Pedestrian and bicycle mobility in the area will also be impacted to some degree because of construction.
STAY INFORMED: The best way to receive regular updates about the construction progress is to sign up at CDOT’s website www.codot.gov/projects/us-24-
Information updated weekly, regarding these restrictions and safety critical traffic pointers, can be found in CDOT’s weekly lane closure reports: https://www.codot.gov/travel/
*RAMP: Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships is a short-term funding program whereby CDOT is funding multi-year projects based on year of expenditure, rather than saving for the full amount of a project before construction begins. Partnership project funding was applied for, and matched by local agencies, to accelerate priority projects in the agencies’ local areas. RAMP projects may see funding from 2015 through 2017. See details at http://www.coloradodot.info/
