US 36 to reopen Friday night between Lyons and Estes Park

March 27, 2020 - Northeastern Colorado - Highway to open 10 days ahead of schedule


US 36 - Estes Park to Lyons workers

LARIMER COUNTY — US 36 will be opening between Lyons and Estes Park at 6 p.m. tonight, CDOT announced today.

“The project team and the community really made this a success story,” said CDOT Regional Transportation Director Heather Paddock. “We know construction can be an inconvenience, so we appreciate your patience.” 

The one-mile section of this highway closed March 9 to install a deep drainage culvert beneath the roadway and was slated to reopen April 6.

WHY THIS PROJECT IS NEEDED

The purpose of this project is to improve overall safety, reduce future closures and permanently fix the damages caused by the 2013 flood. The 2013 floods were devastating to this region, and this project will help decrease the impact of future floods. This will be accomplished by installing two major drainage structures under US 36. This will return the Little Thompson River back to its original, natural channel. This project will also increase safety for everyone using the roadway by increasing visibility around a blind corner, as well as increasing the size of the shoulder.

The increased shoulder will make travel safer for cyclists and motorists, as well as increase space for safe snow removal. This will be accomplished through light blasting of the surrounding walls. This project is also being completed in conjunction with another project to install fiber optic cable for future cell towers in the area. Flatiron Construction will be installing conduit under the road to allow fiber optic to be run through later in the year. This will eventually increase cell coverage and add safety cameras to the corridor. 

US 36 on the map showing project location between Lyons and Estes Park

PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION

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REMEMBER: SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.

  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.

  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.

  • Be patient!

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. 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 Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.