Full US 550 closure begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, between Purgatory and Silverton

Southwest Colorado —To accommodate the annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, the Colorado Department of Transportation will close US Highway 550 to vehicle travel for six hours on Saturday, May 24, between Purgatory Ski Resort and Silverton. Motorists are urged to seek alternate routes between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., or travel through the closure points before 7:30 a.m.

Motorists traveling north to Silverton early Saturday morning are urged to allow ample travel time to make it past Purgatory before the closure begins, leaving Durango no later than 6:45 a.m. The closure point at Purgatory Ski Resort is located 25 miles north of Durango and is an approximate 35 to 45-minute drive from Durango. Additionally, motorists should plan for full stops and up to 20-minute delays at Deer Creek (Mile Point 59.3), a CDOT rockfall mitigation construction site located approximately 10 miles north of Purgatory Ski Resort. The CDOT work zone will have traffic signals in place 24/7 with full stops and alternating single-lane traffic in both directions. Please note that no work activity will happen over the holiday weekend, Friday through Monday, but the light signal will be operational.

During the race, motorists headed south between Hermosa and Durango will be detoured from US 550 onto County Road 203 at Hermosa Creek to Animas View Drive. Northbound traffic from Durango to Purgatory will proceed along US 550 following traffic control personnel, signage, and cones set in place. Motorists must obey all traffic control signage and personnel.

Motorists will also experience brief delays and traffic impacts Saturday morning in Durango, along North Main Avenue, as several waves of cyclists are set to depart from 33rd Street & 2nd Avenue. The first group of 600 professional cyclists will depart at 7:15 a.m., followed by approximately 2000 cyclists at 8 a.m.

With multiple bicycle events taking place over the busy holiday weekend, drivers are reminded and urged to watch for cyclists and drive safely. For the past several weeks, CDOT maintenance crews have been maintaining and sweeping the highway to clear the road of debris, such as gravel and rocks.

For more information about the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, visit ironhorsebicycleclassic.com.

Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol and Iron Horse Bicycle Classic map of alternate routes during the US 550 highway closure on Saturday, May 24, 2025 between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The alternate route via CO 145 from Durango to Ridgway adds three hours of drivetime and is approximately 150 miles. Continuing south on US 550 to Silverton adds four hours of drive time and is approximately 190 miles. There are 24/7 work zone delays at Deer Creek, Mile Point 59.3

Plan Ahead

CDOT encourages motorists to plan ahead and leave Durango by 6:45 a.m., if traveling to Silverton or points north, beyond Silverton. Likewise, travelers heading south from Silverton, Ridgway or Montrose on US 550 should be aware that the highway will be closed just south of Silverton.

Drivers may consider an alternate route via CO 145 through Telluride. This westerly route will add approximately one hour of additional driving time, taking approximately three hours from Durango to Telluride and ending in Ridgway (approximately 150 miles).

• US 160 Durango to Mancos
• CO 184 Mancos to Dolores
• CO 145 Dolores to Placerville
• CO 62 Placerville to Ridgway

Continuing south on US 550 to Silverton will add an additional 60 minutes of drive time (approximately 40 miles).

A rockfall mitigation project is located at MP 59.3 near Deer Creek. Although active construction will not be taking place over the holiday weekend, there will still be 24/7 delays on US 550 between Purgatory and Silverton. Learn more about the project details at codot.gov/projects/us550wallreplacement.

Know Before You Go

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

• Road conditions and travel information: COtrip.org
• Download the COtrip Planner app: bit.ly/COtripapp
• Sign up for project or travel alerts: bit.ly/COnewsalerts
• Check scheduled construction lane closures: bit.ly/laneclosures
• Connect with @ColoradoDOT on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

Remember: Slow For The Cone Zone

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

• Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.
• Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.
• Watch for workers. Drive with caution.
• Don't change lanes unnecessarily.
• Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.
• Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.
• Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.
• Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.
• Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.
• Be patient!

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!