Culvert Improvement project to begin on August 2, US 550 Red Mountain Pass

News Release

July 23, 2021 - Southwestern Colorado

OURAY & SAN JUAN COUNTIES — The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin work on the US 550 culvert repair project on August 2. The project is located in Ouray County, approximately 10 miles south of Ouray and just north of the Red Mountain Pass summit, from mileposts 80 to 81.5. 

This project will benefit motorists by providing a safer highway when snow runoff and rainstorms occur. Improvements at two existing culvert sites will allow water to flow unobstructed under the roadway. This project will also improve existing parking/pullout areas for travelers along the pass. 

The project will consist of removing and replacing culverts at various locations, as well as stabilizing steam banks and extending the existing parking/pullout area on the west side of the highway. Williams Construction Contractors of Norwood, Colorado has been selected for this project. Work is expected to begin the first week of August and be completed later this year, weather permitting.

US 550 Culverts Project Map

Travel Impacts 

Travelers will encounter brief lane closures, lane shifts and shoulder closures beginning August 2 and continuing through the fall. Motorists are urged to use caution and watch for heavy equipment. Any temporary closures are to ensure the safety of the workers and the traveling public. Motorists should slow down, drive with caution and give themselves extra travel time.

Stay Informed 

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

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

Notice to Commercial Truckers and Through Travelers on US 50

West bound commercial truck drivers and other travelers should be aware of major closures due to the US 50 Little Blue Creek Canyon project, located west of Gunnison. Travel time between Sargents and the Little Blue Creek Canyon closure point is approximately 1.5 hours. Travelers are urged to plan ahead. Visit the project website for more  the US 50 Little Blue Creek Canyon Project: us50info.com.

About CDOT information about

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.