US 160 Environmental Impact Study
Proposed Project
The proposed project is located in La Plata County, Colorado. The project length on US 160 would be 16.2 miles, extending from milepost (MP) 88.0, located east of Durango , to MP 104.2, located east of Bayfield. The project length on US 550 would be 1.2 miles, extending from MP 16.6, located at the US 160/US 550 (south) intersection, to MP 15.4, located south of the US 550/County Road (CR) 220 intersection.
>On US 160, the proposed project would extend the existing four-lane highway from Grandview east to Bayfield where it would transition to a two-lane highway. Beyond MP 104.2 the roadway provides sufficient capacity and accident data do not dictate the need for capacity and safety improvements by 2025. In Gem Village , from MP 100 to MP 101, US 160 will be realigned to the south. From the west project limit to the proposed US 160/US 550 (south) intersection, a westbound auxiliary lane and an eastbound climbing lane would be required. In addition, the project would realign approximately 1.2 miles of US 550 south of US 160. The realigned portion of US 550 would be improved to a four-lane highway.
The proposed project would include reconstruction of the US 160/US 550 (south) intersection as an interchange. A grade separation of this intersection would provide the best option to address the reconnection of US 160 and US 550 due to terrain and traffic volume . The proposed project would also include reconstruction of the US 160 intersections with CR 233 (west) and State Highway (SH) 172/CR 234 as interchanges. The US 160 intersections with CR 233 (east), CR 232 (west), and CR 232 (east) would be eliminated, with CR 233 passing beneath US 160. The realigned CR 222/CR 223 (west) intersection with US 160 would be signalized. Improvements would be made to the existing US 160/CR 501 intersection. Numerous direct access points to US 160 for businesses, neighborhoods, and facilities would be consolidated or improved to provide access control.
