Project Overview

Project Background

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) are working with government agencies, communities, and the general public in the analysis and development of proposed improvements to US 50.


US 50 Corridor East Tier 1 Draft EIS

FHWA and CDOT have recently released the US 50 Corridor East Tier 1 Draft EIS, detailing transportation improvements on US 50 between Pueblo, and the vicinity of the Kansas State line in Southeastern Colorado.

This environmental study, known as the US 50 Corridor East project, is built on the 2003 CDOT corridor planning study. This planning study culminated in a community-developed vision for the corridor that called for a safer roadway, on or near the existing US 50, that maintains a reasonable traffic flow and speed for the movement of people and goods along and through the Lower Arkansas Valley, while providing flexibility to accommodate future transportation needs.

During the process of developing this US 50 Corridor East Tier 1 Draft EIS, the project team evaluated alternative corridor locations for future improvements versus the No-Action Alternative (i.e., "no changes or improvements to the current highway alignment") based on the project's purpose and need. Alternatives were developed and analyzed through an extensive agency and community outreach process. The US 50 Corridor East Tier 1 Draft EIS includes:

  • identification of a preferred general corridor location for US 50.
  • evaluation of access management and corridor preservation strategies.
  • a plan for future improvements.

Based on the decisions reached during the Tier 1 process, FHWA and CDOT will proceed with Tier 2 studies for specific projects as funding becomes available.


Process and Schedule

Find more information about the process and schedule.


Project Map

US 50 Regional View Map See the full US 50 regional map.


Corridor Facts

  • US 50 is a 3,200-mile-long transcontinental highway reaching westward from Ocean City, Md., to West Sacramento, Calif.
  • From coast to coast, US 50 passes through a dozen states, four state capitals, and the nation's capital.
  • Time magazine has dubbed US 50 "The Backbone of America."
  • The length of US 50 between Pueblo and the Kansas State line is 150 miles. This stretch of US 50 passes through Southeastern Colorado's Pueblo, Otero, Bent and Prowers counties.