CO 9 Colorado River South Wildlife & Safety Improvements

Project complete

About the Project

Crews on this project reconstructed an 11-mile segment of Colorado Highway (CO) 9 between Kremmling and Silverthorne. Project work, which is designed to improve safety through the corridor, included:

  • installation of five wildlife underpasses and two overpasses
  • wildlife fencing
  • landscaping
  • widening the shoulders to eight feet

Project Facts

  • Cost: $40 million
  • Average Annual Daily Traffic: 3,100 to 3,600

Project Team

  • Contractor(s): Kirkland Construction

Project Background

CO 9 is a major traffic route between Kremmling and Silverthorne in Summit and Grand counties. CDOT, Grand County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Blue Valley Ranch partnered on this project following numerous wildlife-vehicle collisions, and human fatalities, between mile posts 126 and 137. This narrow roadway, near the Green Mountain Dam Road and Colorado River Crossing, bisects feeding and watering habitat frequently used by wildlife.

In October 2013 the State Transportation Commission selected CO 9 for RAMP funding to fast track the safety-improvement project