Winter shutdown in place for US 50 settlement repair project near Delta

DELTA & MESA COUNTIES - After a busy construction season, the Colorado Department of Transportation and contract partner Elam Construction have suspended work for the winter on the US Highway 50 settlement repair project. The project includes a new asphalt surface and will significantly improve dips and bumps on a section of US 50 between Grand Junction and Delta, from Mile Point 47.6 to MP 66.7. Upon completion, drivers will experience a smoother, safer ride on the well-traveled roadway. Additional work was added to the original contract in order to complete necessary improvements on the eastern end of the project. As a result, the project is now a multi-year project and work will continue in spring 2022. Photos of the project are available here.

Crews worked expeditiously throughout the 2021 construction season and accomplished:

• Full-depth reclamation at multiple locations
• Lane level paving
• Top mat paving
• Guardrail installation
• Striping

The project focuses on a 2” hot mix asphalt overlay and guardrail installation that will meet new safety standard requirements. The HMA will add approximately 10 years of life to the highway, a smoother road surface and will eliminate ruts and road damage. The new guardrail will be 31” high instead of 27” high to help vehicles remain on the road more effectively, making the highway safer for the traveling public.

The project received $15 million in federal stimulus funds this year. The funding was part of the total $150 million CDOT received in federal money from the COVID-19 relief package and stimulus funds in an omnibus appropriations package. Local agency stakeholders gathered with CDOT this spring for a short groundbreaking ceremony for the project.

The project team will return to work in spring 2022 to complete additional top mat paving, rumble strip installation, remaining guardrail installations and striping. The multi-year project has an anticipated completion timeline of early summer 2022.

Project Information

For additional information about this project:

• Call the project information line at (970) 878-8255.
• Email the project team at: [email protected]

• Project website (specific page archived - instead see general information here): www.codot.gov/projects

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/3DYCDOH
• Sign up for project or travel alerts: bit.ly/COalerts
• See scheduled construction lane closures: bit.ly/3n9ZAI1
• Connect with @ColoradoDOT on social media: Twitter, 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!

About CDOT

CDOT’s Whole System-Whole Safety program has one simple mission — to get everyone home safely. Our approximately 3,000 employees work tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. The department manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,000 bridges and 35 mountain passes. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also operates Bustang, the state-owned interregional express bus service. Gov. Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.