Construction Project Slated for Completion Next Week on US Highway 285, Town of Antonito

October 16, 2015 - Southwestern Colorado/CDOT Region 5 - ANTONITO, CO – The $7.8 million concrete reconstruction project on US Highway 285 in the town of Antonito that started in March of this year is in its final stages of construction.

The finishing touches, which are set for completion early next week, include minor sidewalk and drainage modifications plus asphalt paving and highway striping. Travelers should expect one-lane closures on US Highway 285 while these activities happen, as well as a full closure on east 5th Avenue at the beginning of the week. The 24/7 wide-load restrictions will be lifted starting Saturday morning, October 17th.

Over the past several months, contractor Concrete Works of Colorado along with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), have corrected subgrade and roadway surface damage on US 285 created by heavy truck traffic while concurrently improving the drainage system. A 60-inch conduit that flows into a newly built retention pond was installed along 8th Avenue/County Road G. Other storm water drainage pipes were placed between 2nd to 8th Avenues on the west side of the highway as well as from 8th to 11th Avenues on the east side. Additional enhancements to the town’s infrastructure include sidewalk and parking lane improvements along Main Street plus a new crosswalk for people with visual impairments at 5th Avenue.

“Again, we want to thank the Town of Antonito for partnering with us on this project,” CDOT Region 5 Transportation Director Kerrie Neet said. “We also greatly appreciate the support of businesses and residents during our work. Our crews have experienced nothing but patience and cooperation from everyone impacted, even as we were disrupting their environment. We hope everyone will be pleased with the improvements.”

Impacts are as follows for the week of October 19th:

  • Intermittent one-lane closures on US Highway 285 for the first half of the week

  • Full closure of east 5th Avenue for the first half of the week

HOW TO GET PROJECT INFORMATION
For questions or concerns, please contact [email protected] or call the project hotline at 970-946-2834. You can also visit CDOT’s website and see the lane closure reports at: www.codot.gov/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html.

*This state-local partnership project will receive funding from RAMP, Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships towards the approximately $2.7 million in drainage improvements. RAMP is better coordinating project expenditures and available funding. Under the RAMP program, CDOT will fund multi-year and partnership projects based on year of expenditure, rather than saving for the full amount of a project before construction begins. For more information, including a list of RAMP project requests, please see our website: http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/RAMP.