CDOT begins project to improve concrete pavement on US 160 west of Durango, US 160/US 491 in Cortez

Montezuma/La Plata Counties — The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor Interstate Improvement, Inc., will begin a project on Monday, May 3, to improve the concrete driving surface on US 160 west of Durango. Project activity will then move through Cortez on US 160 and US 491 in June. This preventative maintenance project includes replacing and patching damaged concrete pavement; applying a diamond grinding process to rehabilitate the surface of existing concrete; clearing and re-sealing concrete joints and cracks; cross-stitching (a process to strengthen longitudinal cracks in concrete slabs); and installing inlaid striping and traffic markings. Rehabilitation

“Performing maintenance on the concrete surface of the highway will provide several key benefits to travelers and Colorado taxpayers,” said Kevin Curry, CDOT Program Engineer. “Not only will the rehabilitation process restore and improve the roadway for mobility and safety, it will also give 15 to 20 more years of life to the existing concrete. The rehabilitation of the concrete will help us avoid reconstruction of the highway, ultimately bringing long-term savings to state taxpayers, for potentially 20 years. A complete rebuild of the highway could likely have cost tens of millions of dollars.” 

The benefits of this project include:

• prolonging the life of the existing concrete pavement

• improving the roadway’s smoothness

• restoring skid resistance of the concrete pavement

• enhancing highway safety and mobility for all users

In addition to the concrete repairs and rehabilitation, the project will also upgrade several curb ramps at select intersections to meet mandated standards by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA ramps are located on US 160 west of Durango at the north corners of the access road into CDOT’s Traffic/Maintenance shop; the north corners of CR 206; and the northeast corner of Rosemary Lane.

The project was contracted to Interstate Improvement for $5 million.

Project Schedule and Travel Impacts (see location maps below)

The following is an approximate project schedule, weather permitting and subject to change:

• West Durango - May 3 to late July 2021

• US 160 west of the US 550 continuous flow intersection at the Doubletree Hotel (MP 81.35 to 83.31) 

• DURANGO TRAVEL IMPACTS - Work on the two-mile concrete section of US 160 west of Durango will be done during daytime hours. Motorists will encounter single-lane closures on US 160 west of town from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekend work is possible, if necessary to expedite the project’s completion. 

• Cortez - Early June to late October 2021 

  • DAYTIME - Daytime work will be done at each of the three locations. Motorists will encounter single-lane closures at both of these locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, with weekend work possible. 

  • NIGHTTIME - On US 160 (Main Street), between Maple and Mildred, the diamond grinding and joint sealing will be done at night. In addition, the intersections at Main Street/Broadway (US 491) and at US 160/CR G will be closed for one night (with a posted detour) to allow new concrete to cure. During the night work, motorists will encounter single-lane closures from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Weekend work is possible.

• US 160 south Cortez at CR G, north/south and including CR G intersection (MP 35.08 to 35.32) - concrete repairs at the CR G intersection, which may require some night work; diamond grinding and inlaid traffic markings during the day

• US 491 west Cortez, north/south of Main Street (MP 26.21 to 27.36) - inlaid traffic markings during the day

• US 160 through downtown Cortez, along Main Street between Maple Street and Mildred Road (MP 38 to 39) - diamond grinding and joint sealing at night; inlaid traffic markings during the day

• CORTEZ TRAVEL IMPACTS - 

Holiday Work Suspensions 

There will be no work and no travel impacts over the following holiday time periods/weekends:

• Memorial Day, May 28 at noon through June 1

• Independence Day, July 2 at noon through July 6

• Labor Day, September 3 at noon through September 7

Stay Informed 

More information is available at: 

• Project website: codot.gov/projects/us-160-cortez-durango-concrete-repairs 

• Project information line: 970-317-5658

• Project email: us160cortez.durango.concrete@gmail.com

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:

• Road conditions and travel information: COtrip.org 

• Sign up for project or travel alerts: bit.ly/COalerts

• Scheduled lane closures

• Connect with us on social media: Twitter @coloradodot and Facebook facebook.com/coloradodot
  

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.

• Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so

• Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

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

• 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.

• Be patient!

About CDOT

CDOT’s Whole System-Whole Safety program has one simple mission — to get everyone home safely. Our approximately 3,000 employees work tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. The department manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,000 bridges and 35 mountain passes. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also operates Bustang, the state-owned interregional express bus service. Gov. Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options. 

Location Maps Note beginning and end markers along work areas in blue.