CDOT, local officials celebrate completion of US 6 Avon to Dowd Junction resurfacing project

EAGLE COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation and representatives of Eagle County and the EagleVail Metropolitan District celebrated the completion of the US Highway 6 improvements project, located from Avon to Dowd Junction. Click here for photos and video of the event, which took place on Tuesday, October 19.

A portion of this project included a funding partnership with Eagle County to create an important section of recreational path through the EagleVail commercial corridor. To create room for the path, the project slimmed down US 6 from four lanes to two lanes for about a mile. The design safely makes room for a new section of a popular valley-long bike path.

“This project allowed CDOT to make improvements along US 6 while also meeting the needs of local communities,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.

“The result is a nonmotorized, multimodal recreation path along US 6 that isn't just an investment in pavement; it's an investment in people that will yield returns for decades to come in the form of increased activity, healthy outcomes and treasured memories,” Lew said.

“With the help of our local partners, we completed safety improvements that included more than 7,000 linear feet of newer, safer guardrail; safety improvements to three signals and 21 ADA ramps; and the repaving of two I-70 ramps. 

“This project will make people feel safer because they will be safer.”

The multimodal transportation option for valley locals and recreationalists fills a critical gap in the path connections and helps ensure safe travel for pedestrians and bicyclists when moving through the area.

“The EagleVail Metropolitan District Board was happy to contribute $56,000 to help cover the cost of transforming this highway lane into a nonmotorized, multimodal path,” said the board’s  chairman, Tim McGuire. “We believe it has created a much safer pedestrian route for residents and visitors of Eagle Vail."

Across the project, most work took place on US  6 between Mile Point 170 and MP 175, with primary work consisting of milling the existing asphalt surface and repaving. Two Interstate 70 ramps were repaved, including the I-70 eastbound on-ramp at Exit 169 and the westbound off-ramp of Exit 171. Work also included replacement of guardrail, striping, adding a bike lane between MP 172 and MP 173, ADA ramp upgrades, erosion control, and traffic control management. United Companies was selected for this project, and work began in April 2021.

“Thank you, CDOT, for working with the local agencies to transform the business center into a more pedestrian-friendly corridor,” said Eagle County Commissioner Matt Scherr. “This is an important step toward reaching Eagle County’s goal to complete the Eagle Valley Trail by 2025.” 

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.