Region-wide bridge maintenance completed in southwest Colorado

The Colorado Department of Transportation has completed work on regional bridges requiring maintenance and repair. The project included improvements to six structures:

• US Highway 160/550 bridge (also known as the “high bridge”) in Durango over the Animas River at Mile Point 86
• two US 550 bridges near the Colorado/New Mexico state line at MP 1 and 2 
• US 160 bridge over the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs at MP 144 
• CO Highway 151 bridge over the Piedra River near Arboles at MP 18.5
• US 550 bridge over the Hermosa Creek in the Animas Valley north of Durango at MP 32

Work was completed last week on the bridge at Hermosa, with some follow up items completed on the Pagosa Springs bridge on Monday, earlier this week.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

This region-wide bridge preventative maintenance project began last fall in September of 2019, addressing the high bridge over the Animas River in Durango and two US 550 bridges just north of the New Mexico state line. Work on the Animas River structure included improved approaches at the north abutment, improved drainage structures and  grading improvements with concrete and asphalt pavements. The US 550 structures received new and improved polyester concrete deck surfacing, drainage improvements, and repairs to wildlife fencing. 

This spring, crews performed repair work on the US 160 Pagosa Springs and CO 151 Arboles bridges where they performed repair work including removal and replacement of asphalt membranes, bridge deck repairs, and bridge expansion joint repair and replacement. 

The final structure receiving repairs was the US 550 Hermosa bridge in the Animas Valley north of Durango. Construction activities on the bridge were delayed when an active American Dipper nest, protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, was found on the bridge structure. Crews resumed work on the structure on June 15, after the young birds fledged, with repairs to the bridge deck, bridge joint, and removal and replacement of asphalt. 

As part of CDOT’s Whole System — Whole Safety initiative, this project will create better and safer driving conditions for travelers, and help to extend the lifespan of the bridges. 

CDOT along with American Civil Constructors would like to thank the Southwest Colorado communities for their patience and understanding during these construction efforts. 

PROJECT & TRAVEL INFORMATION 

For additional information about this project: 

• Call the project information line at 970-840-8517 

• Email the project team at [email protected]  

• Visit the project website at www.codot.gov/projects/southwestern-colorado-bridge-maintenance.

COVID-19 

Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for all of us, particularly for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, CDOT maintenance and construction crews follow social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO by practicing social distancing and wearing face masks. As traffic returns to normal levels, motorists must drive cautiously and heed the speed limit so all of us can return home safely. 

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.

In early 2019, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to heighten safety awareness. This initiative 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 inter-regional express service. Gov. Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s multimodal mobility options.