CDOT Makes Improvements to US 160 between Mancos Hill and Hesperus

June 12, 2015 - Southwestern Colorado/CDOT Region 5 - LA PLATA COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor Oldcastle SW Group, Inc., have begun a project to improve the surface of US 160 between Hesperus and Mancos Hill—a distance of about 9 miles.

This work continues from where CDOT’s project between Durango and Hesperus ended last construction season. While the project got underway on May 10, work that impacts travel will begin this coming Monday, June 15. It is expected to last through mid- to late-October.

“Much like the previous 10-mile section we completed last year, this project will level the surface of the pavement and then provide an asphalt overlay to prolong its surface life,” CDOT Region 5 Program Engineer Ed Archuleta said. “This is another example of CDOT’s asset management program, which focuses on maintaining our existing infrastructure to avoid costlier reconstruction projects.”

The work, with an estimated total cost of $7.3 million (design through construction), will resurface the highway from mile point (MP) 62 (Mancos Hill) at the Montezuma/La Plata county line east to MP 71.1, about two miles west of SH 140 in Hesperus.

Crews will be applying a one-inch leveling course to correct surface imperfections, followed by an inch and a half of new asphalt. Some deep patching will also be done at MP 70, where the pavement needs additional leveling. The work will greatly improve the surface condition of this stretch, which receives between 6,700 and 6,800 vehicles a day.

TRAVEL IMPACTS: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting; no weekend work is anticipated at this time but may be necessary due to weather setbacks; drivers should anticipate some single-lane, alternating traffic in sections where only two lanes are present; traffic should flow in both directions where three lanes exist. Crews will minimize impacts to eastbound late afternoon peak period travel.

PROJECT INFORMATION: For information about this project or to leave a message, call the project information line at (970) 254-3288. For information on CDOT projects statewide, log on to www.cotrip.org or call 511 from anywhere in the state. To receive real-time updates about road conditions in your area, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the envelop icon at the bottom of the page. Information about weekly lane closures will be available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html.