CDOT begins median cable barrier installation project on US 50 near Penrose

Travel Advisory

April 20, 2021 - Southeastern Colorado - Work begins on April 26 and continues until October 2021

FREMONT COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation and contract partner Siete, Inc. will begin installing median cable barrier and making other safety improvements along a seven-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 50 near the town of Penrose in Fremont County on Monday, April 26. Work includes installing new and replacing aging cable barrier, regrading and seeding median areas, and making general safety improvements. 

“Adding new median barrier is a critical safety measure for travel along this important section of US 50,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “This is an excellent example of how CDOT is proactively working to enhance the safety of the traveling public and adding measures to prevent median crossover crashes on essential roadways.”

Project Description

This state funded project entails installing new and replacing some aging cable rail barrier along a seven-mile stretch of US 50, a well-traveled and winding highway that extends from the western slope to the lower Front Range and Arkansas Valley. Other work includes installing a mow strip, regrading and seeding sections of the median, and making erosion control, drainage and safety improvements.

Travel Impacts

Motorists can expect the following closures and restrictions during the period of construction:

  • Some single lane closures will be in place within the project limits during daytime hours.

  • Inside shoulder closures will exist during working hours.

  • Two way traffic will be maintained.

  • Signs and flagger operations will be in place to safely direct traffic.

  • No weekend or observed holiday work is expected. 

  • Lane closures and other traffic notices are posted weekly on COtrip.org.

Project Location

The project is located on US 50 from Mile Point 284.50 to MP 291.00 near the town of Penrose in Fremont County.

Median Cable Barrier Project Map

Project Schedule

The project will begin on April 26 and is expected to last until late October 2021. Working hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon. to Thurs. and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. No holiday or weekend work is expected. All construction schedules are weather dependent and subject to change.

Project & Travel Info 

For additional information about this project, contact the project team. 

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:

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.