CDOT Completes Lighting Improvements on US 550 Red Mountain Pass

OURAY COUNTY—Crews have completed lighting improvements to a snow shed tunnel on US Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray, approximately eight miles north of the Red Mountain Pass summit. The $675,000 project started in early May 2018, and was completed on schedule.

Work Completed

Crews completed the following:

• removed the existing lighting and electrical circuit;
• replaced 198 interior lights;
• replaced all the associated electrical wiring with new electrical system;
• installed 11 contactors and a new program logic controller (PLC).

The PLC operates by a photocell and will allow different light settings for daytime and nighttime. The old, out-of-date lighting system was updated with new LED, energy-efficient lighting. The updated lighting will use less power, while allowing more light, for better travel visibility at all times while driving through the tunnel.