Southern section of Highway 3 in Durango set for two-week closure

Travel Advisory

March 2, 2026 - Southwestern Colorado - Crews will mitigate rockfall hazards March 9 to 20
Fallen rock next to highway. An excavator is in the background.
CDOT archive photo: This southern segment of Highway 3 in south Durango is prone to frequent rockfall incidents. Regular maintenance and scaling operations are necessary to keep motorists safe from hazards and reduce highway impacts.

Durango — The Colorado Department of Transportation will close the southern section of Colorado Highway 3 in Durango for approximately two weeks. Beginning Monday, March 9, specialized geotechnical crews will perform rock scaling and blasting operations along the east side of the road, cliffside. CO 3 will be closed to through traffic 24/7 between the US 160 Junction, near Walmart, and the southern intersection of Sawmill Road, south of Animas Surgical Hospital.

Local traffic will be allowed for all businesses on CO 3 and Sawmill Road. Motorists should use the alternate route of US 160/550 (Camino Del Rio), Larry Valdez Way and East Eighth Avenue to access businesses on CO 3 and Sawmill Road from the north end of the highway.

The Carbon Junction trailhead will remain open during the project. Trail users can access the trailhead and its parking area via Dominguez Drive and the Carbon Junction frontage road. The right turn lane, just south of the high bridge, from US 160 onto CO 3 will be closed.

Work will reduce the hazard of falling rocks and debris onto the roadway from the steep cliffside and rocky terrain that is prone to frequent rockslides. This two-week long project will remove loose surface material from the slope using both manual scaling (technicians on the slopes, removing unstable rock) and blasting techniques. Additional work will include drilling new stabilizing anchors, clearing rocks from behind the concrete barriers and repairs to the rockfall fencing designed to catch and contain falling rocks and boulders.

Travel Impacts

Work will take place March 9 to 20 on the south end of CO 3 between Mile Point 0 and 0.65. Traffic impacts include:

  • 24/7 full closures for both northbound and southbound through traffic
  • Do not attempt to drive through the work zone barriers
  • Local traffic is allowed to access businesses at the north end of CO 3 and Sawmill Road
  • Refer to COtrip.org for real-time travel conditions and road closures
Colorado Department of Transportation Map indicating a two-week closure of Colorado Highway 3 in south Durango to allow for rockfall mitigation work. The closure will be in place 24/7 from March 9 to 20.
Colorado Department of Transportation Map indicating a two-week closure of CO 3 in south Durango to allow for rockfall mitigation work. The closure will be in place 24/7 from March 9 to 20.

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:

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