US 550 Red Mountain Pass Shed Tunnel Lighting Upgrades
Project Facts
- Cost: $675,000
- Contractor: Main Electric
- Timeline: May - August 2018
- Location: On US 550, between Silverton and Ouray (mile points 88 to 89), approximately eight miles north of the Red Mountain Pass summit
From early May through August 2018, crews on this project removed lighting at the US Highway 550 Red Mountain Pass Tunnel Shed and replaced it with more energy-efficient LED lighting.
The project—on US Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray, approximately eight miles north of the Red Mountain Pass summit—cost $675,000 and was completed on schedule.
Work Completed
Crews completed the following:
- removed the existing lighting and electrical circuit;
- replaced 198 interior lights;
- replaced all the associated electrical wiring with new electrical system;
- installed 11 contactors and a new program logic controller (PLC).
The PLC operates by a photocell and will allow different light settings for daytime and nighttime. The old, out-of-date lighting system was updated with new LED, energy-efficient lighting. The updated lighting will use less power, while allowing more light, for better travel visibility at all times while driving through the tunnel.
