US 550 Otter Road South Safety Improvements

About the Project

The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin work to improve an 8.5 mile section of US 550 south of Montrose. The project begins at Otter Road on the south edge of Montrose (Mile Point 126) and continues south to the Ouray-Montrose county line (MP 117.5). The project starts at the south end of the US 50/US 550 resurfacing project completed in 2022. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in late 2022 and continue through July 2024. The improvements will focus on safety and mobility.

Specifically, the US 550 corridor design includes the following:

• Southern Section - County Line to Centennial RV Park, MP 117.3 to MP 118.8
  • Deer fence, jump-outs and deer guards at each access
  • Left-turn deceleration lane at Centennial RV Park
• Central Section - Uncompahgre Road to north of Trout Road, MP 121.3 to MP 123.1
  • Trout Road intersection realignment
  • Passing lanes at Trout Road
  • Long left-turn lane from Tulare Road to north of Ridge View Drive
• Northern Section - south of Solar Road to Otter Road, MP 123.4 to 126.1
  • Solar Road intersection realignment
  • Solar Road left-turn deceleration lanes
  • Long left-turn lane from Rose Road to Riverside Road
  • Racine Road intersection realignment
• Full Length of Project - County Line to Otter Road, MP 117.3 to 126.1
  • Access control
  • Frontage road right-of-way fence

The wildlife fencing system will not only help keep animals out of the highway right of way, but the jump-outs (earthen one-way ramps) will allow them to escape if they do get trapped. Intersection realignments at Trout, Solar, and Racine roads will reconstruct these junctions to traditional T-intersections with 90-degree angles, giving motorists better sight distance when merging onto and off of US 550. Finally, passing lanes and auxiliary lanes will provide motorists with safer passing and merging opportunities.

Project Benefits

• The new passing lanes will improve traffic flow and provide safer operational conditions while the auxiliary lanes will provide vehicles a safe path to decelerate to an appropriate speed before exiting the highway.
• Other benefits of the project include a wildlife fencing system. Wildlife fence keeps animals off the highway and directs them to safer crossing locations. When animals do enter the highway the new game ramps will allow access for animals to exit the highway corridor.

Work Schedule:

• Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Traffic Impacts:

• Motorists can expect up to 20 minute delays
• Vehicles will be reduced to single-lane alternating traffic guided by flagging operations
• Speeds will be reduced to 40 mph through the work zone