US 550 Otter Road South Safety Improvements
Work will resume: Spring 2024
Anticipated Completion Date: Summer 2024
About the Project
The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin work to improve an 8.5 mile section of US 550 south of Montrose. The project begins at Otter Road on the south edge of Montrose (Mile Point 126) and continues south to the Ouray-Montrose county line (MP 117.5). The project starts at the south end of the US 50/US 550 resurfacing project completed in 2022. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in late 2022 and continue through July 2024. The improvements will focus on safety and mobility.
Specifically, the US 550 corridor design includes the following:
- Southern Section - County Line to Centennial RV Park, MP 117.3 to MP 118.8
- Deer fence, jump-outs and deer guards at each access
- Left-turn deceleration lane at Centennial RV Park
- Central Section - Uncompahgre Road to north of Trout Road, MP 121.3 to MP 123.1
- Trout Road intersection realignment
- Passing lanes at Trout Road
- Long left-turn lane from Tulare Road to north of Ridge View Drive
- Northern Section - south of Solar Road to Otter Road, MP 123.4 to 126.1
- Solar Road intersection realignment
- Solar Road left-turn deceleration lanes
- Long left-turn lane from Rose Road to Riverside Road
- Racine Road intersection realignment
- Full Length of Project - County Line to Otter Road, MP 117.3 to 126.1
- Access control
- Frontage road right-of-way fence
The wildlife fencing system will not only help keep animals out of the highway right of way, but the jump-outs (earthen one-way ramps) will allow them to escape if they do get trapped. Intersection realignments at Trout, Solar, and Racine roads will reconstruct these junctions to traditional T-intersections with 90-degree angles, giving motorists better sight distance when merging onto and off of US 550. Finally, passing lanes and auxiliary lanes will provide motorists with safer passing and merging opportunities.
Project Facts
- Cost: $18.9 Million
- Contractor: Elam Construction
- Timeline: Anticipated construction schedule is late 2022 through July 2024
- Location: US 550 from Otter Road (south end of Montrose) south to the Montrose-Ouray County line (MP 126 - MP 117.5)
Map showing project location of
US 550 Otter Road project
The design team presented the project plans to impacted property owners, commuters and local agencies, at a public open house on August 11, 2022, in Montrose. CDOT and design contractor Muller Engineering presented detailed information about the roadway and safety improvements along the corridor, answered questions, and gathered contact information from those who would like to stay informed about the construction project. If you would like to receive email updates about the construction as it progresses, please contact the project public information manager at the phone number or email address to the right.
