CDOT to clean ditches of debris  on US 550 Farmington Hill

July 31, 2019 - Southwestern Colorado - Crews to also work north of Durango on US 550

The Colorado Department of Transportation will perform ditch cleaning next week south of Durango on US Highway 550 Farmington Hill and along US 550 north of Durango. The operations will start on Wednesday, August 7 and may possibly continue through the week of August 12. 

Ditch cleaning is essential for maintaining safe roadways. The cleanup efforts are especially needed due to the past winter snows and recent spring and summer rain fall the area has received. Strong run-off causes excess dirt, rocks and wood materials to fill roadside ditches, which in turn cause potential flooding of water and debris to wash onto the roadway, causing a hazard to motorists. 

TRAVEL IMPACTS 

Wednesday, August 7 — Crews will work on Farmington Hill from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Travelers can expect delays. Motorists will encounter one-lane alternating traffic from Eagle Block (at the top of US 550 Farmington Hill) continuing to just near the intersection of US 160 (at the bottom of the hill), mile point 16. The traveling public is urged to slow down and watch for signage, flaggers and work crews with heavy equipment as they drive along this narrow, curvy, steep section of highway. Travelers may consider seeking alternate routes to avoid Farmington Hill. This is expected to be a one-day operation, weather permitting. 

Thursday, August 8 — The following day crews will work north of Durango from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Travelers can expect lane shifts on US 550 from County Road 203, near the Iron Horse Inn continuing southward for about one mile toward Durango, MP 25.3 - 24.4. The traveling public is urged to slow down and watch for signage, flaggers and work crews with heavy equipment.

Please note, if inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances hinder operations, work will be pushed to the following days or the following week. 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative earlier this year. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s inter-modal mobility options.