By Lisa Schwantes | Colorado Department of Transportation
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is starting back to work after a winter shutdown of the McCabe Creek culvert replacement project on U.S. 160 San Juan/main street and South 6th Street in the town of Pagosa Springs.
During the past 2021 construction season, crews worked on the replacement of aged metal culverts with new precast concrete box culverts. Approximately 30 percent of the work was completed during this first phase of work, which will help to establish a new downstream channel, allowing for better drainage along the road.
“This work being done to the McCabe Creek culvert system, which runs under U.S. 160, will provide considerable improvements both to the Pagosa community and our highway system,’’ said CDOT Southwest Regional Transportation Director Julie Constan. “The new concrete culverts have great advantages over the previous metal material. They provide superior durability for runoff or flooding conditions, greater resistance to corrosion and damage due to debris, allowing for a longer life of this highway asset.”
This month, crews will be working along the shoulder on the south side of the project. Motorists will not experience traffic impacts in March. Starting in April, through the remainder of the project, crews will be working on the north side of the road creating riprap-lined drainage. The project operations also include concrete work, lighting installation, guardrail installation and erosion control. The project is expected to last until the end of September.
Travel impacts
Daytime work hours range from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Motorists should expect some travel impacts throughout the construction of this project and be aware of lane closures and potential lane shifts that may occur. The speed limit is reduced to 25 mph through the work zone. Please drive cautiously and watch out for workers.
Project information
For additional information about this project, contact the project team:
• Project website: www.codot.gov/projects/us160-mccabe-creek-culverts-pagosa/about.
• Project information hotline: (970) 507-3740.
• Project email: US160PagosaCulverts@gmail.com.
