At its July 9 work session, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) held an annual discussion with representatives from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
The group discussed upcoming transportation planning, the reconstruction of U.S. 160 through downtown Pagosa Springs and high levels of traffic at the U.S. 160/U.S. 84 intersection, among other issues.
CDOT Region 5 Regional Planner Tim Funk opened the discussion by presenting on the structure of Region 5 and the upcoming planning process for the statewide transportation plan.
Funk stated that CDOT attempts to meet with each county in its region at least every other year and that one of these meetings is statutorily required to be a project priority planning process meeting, which is intended to provide a venue to formally discuss CDOT’s plans with the county as a “planning partner.”
He added that the presentation he was giving would be a part of such a meeting, refreshing the county on the structure of CDOT and discussing the upcoming planning process for CDOT’s 25-year plan.
Funk explained that Region 5 contains 15 counties and two tribal nations, and has 349 employees.
He added that the region covers 3,566 lane miles (16 percent of the state’s highways) and contains 3.6 percent of the state’s population, which he noted is a key factor in the amount of funding the region receives and means that it receives the least amount of funding of any region in the state.
Region 5 is unique due to its large number of two-lane highways which can be clogged by slow-moving vehicles, the number of “community main streets” that are state highways, the prevalence of avalanches, the “limited and lengthy alternate routes” for traffic, and the range of road users, including wildlife, agricultural equipment and bicycles, Funk commented.
He stated that Archuleta County is also part of the Southwest Transportation Planning Region (SWTPR), which includes five counties, two tribes and all incorporated cities and towns in the area, and whose regional plan will be incorporated into the statewide transportation plan.
Funk stated that the county is also in District 8 of the Transportation Commission.
He indicated that CDOT planning goes through a five-step process, including creating ideas for potential projects by gathering stakeholder feedback, planning and prioritizing projects, finding funding for projects, selecting a project to move forward and then performing work to realize the improvement.
He commented that, due to the complexity of the planning process, the CDOT statewide transportation plan “looks 25 years ahead” and CDOT incorporates a wide range of sources for ideas into its planning, including the public, interest groups, transportation planning regions, metropolitan planning organizations and the Colorado Transportation Commission.
CDOT planning begins with the 25-year long-range plan, Funk indicated.
Projects that are funded move to a 10-year development plan, he stated, and then go to the four-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which contains the projects CDOT is actively working on.
He explained that the long-range statewide transportation plan is required by state law.
He added it includes priorities from the transportation planning regions and is updated every five years, with the next update in 2025.
Funk added that projects on this plan are prioritized with the knowledge that funding is not available for all of them and that being on the plan also helps with obtaining grant funding for projects.
He stated that many of the Archuleta County projects included on the current long-range plan have been completed or are in progress, including the culvert replacement project on McCabe Creek on U.S. 160, the creation of two wildlife crossings on U.S. 160 near the intersection with Colo. 151 and the installation of fiber-optic lines between Durango and Wolf Creek Pass along U.S. 160.
He added that the reconstruction of U.S. 160 in downtown Pagosa Springs is also included on the long-range plan and should start next year.
Funk commented that the long-range plan also includes some projects for the area that have not been funded, including the creation of Bustang outrider bus services between Pagosa Springs and Durango.
He explained that the 10-year plan involves forecasting how much money will come to Region 5 from the Colorado Legislature and then adding the top projects from the long-range plan to the 10-year plan to ensure they have funding.
He added that, although every project has funding, some may not have sufficient funding to complete their initial scope due to inflation.
Funk added that the completed projects from the long-range plan for Archuleta County were also included on the 10-year plan.
He indicated that the STIP identifies transportation projects and programs proposed for funding as well “regionally significant” transportation projects.
Funk added that the STIP is updated every year and is required by federal law.
He then moved on to discuss the timeline for the planning update process, stating it would begin with a SWTPR chair meeting with CDOT headquarters on July 31.
It will also include a SWTPR meeting on Aug. 8 where the SWTPR will discuss its mission and vision and identify focus areas, and CDOT headquarters staff will formally present the update process.
Through the fall of 2024, the SWTPR will consider goals and data related to proposed projects and issues, he indicated.
In the winter of 2025, the SWTPR will summarize public feedback gathered earlier in the project and discuss project priorities before reviewing its draft regional transportation plan in April 2025, Funk explained.
His presentation moved on to cover funding sources and allocations for CDOT and Region 5, indicating that CDOT has a $2.0333 billion budget, 41.9 percent of which is from federal programs, 32.1 percent of which is from the Highway User Tax Fund and the rest of which is from various sources, including 5.3 percent from legislative initiatives that are used to fund projects in the transportation plans.
Funk mentioned that the federal gas tax, which is the source of federal funding, has not risen since the 1990s although transportation project costs have increased.
He added that the state of Colorado is also working on implementing a scaling fee on the registration of electric vehicles to backfill the tax revenue lost because those vehicles do not use petroleum fuels.
Funk explained that CDOT allocates 40.7 percent of its funding to capital construction, 24.8 percent to maintenance and 17.3 percent to suballocated programs, including aeronautics funding, “sub-allocated federal programs” and the Revitalizing Main Streets program.
He stated that 12 percent of Region 5’s funds are pass-throughs to local government, 15 percent are spent on road surfaces, 10 percent on structures such as tunnels and bridges, 8 percent on safety and 32 percent on other uses.
He added that only 2 percent of Region 5’s budget is discretionary and that these funds have been primarily used in recent years to cover cost overruns for planned projects, leaving Region 5 with very few discretionary funds available for other projects.
Commissioner Veronica Medina asked what is covered under the other uses.
Funk and Region 5 Planning and Environmental Manager Tony Cady explained that many of these funds are from grants that Region 5 has received and are used to fund various major road projects, including the installation of fiber along U.S. 160 and the creation of wildlife overpasses on U.S. 160 near Colo. 151.
Commissioner Warren Brown asked how Region 5 pays for responses to unexpected issues like rock slides or bridge failures.
Cady stated that this funding is also included under other uses and is distributed to Region 5 from the Colorado Transportation Commission to the region if the commission approves the declaration of an emergency in the region.
“So really, they’re unplanned funds that we get for various reasons and we just spend them the way that they’ve been allocated,” Cady said, summarizing the other uses funding.
Funk then pointed out a series of grants available from CDOT for counties, including the Revitalizing Main Streets grant, the Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund grant and the Safe Routes to School grant.
Brown noted that the Main Street program in the area has received Revitalizing Main Streets grant funding in the past.
Funk also highlighted a range of federal grants that could potentially be available to the county.
He then discussed how maintenance is done in Archuleta County, noting that Archuleta County is within two different maintenance regions, with Wolf Creek Pass in Section 7 and the rest of the county in Section 3.
Winter snow and ice removal and management is the largest maintenance expenditure for CDOT, statewide taking up 30 percent of the budget, Funk stated.
In Archuleta County, he explained, CDOT expended $2,597,001.09 “worth of effort” in the 2024 state fiscal year stretching from July 2023 to June 2024.
He stated that snow and ice removal consumed about 30 percent of this funding, with road surface treatment projects taking up the next largest portion. Funds were also spent on cleaning up rocks and roadkill, traffic signals and striping, and earthwork, bridge and culvert work.
The group then discussed roadkill and methods for reporting it, with Funk stating that the public should call the CDOT customer service line and report any roadkill so it can be addressed by CDOT maintenance crews.
Commissioner ideas
Brown raised the issue of if an alternate route through Pagosa Springs for U.S. 160 could be included on the 25-year plan, citing the high level of traffic and the potential for a hazardous material spill to shut down the highway with no alternate routes to bypass it as reasons for the project.
CDOT Region 5 Transportation Director Julie Constan explained that gathering ideas like this is part of why CDOT conducts its planning process with the counties.
Commissioner Ronnie Maez commented that this idea was proposed in the past.
Constan replied that a proposal on a bypass had not occurred during her tenure.
Cady added that such a project has not been added to the SWTPR priority projects list, partially due to concerns about other communities that had bypasses installed and are now requesting their removal.
Cady stated that the county should potentially add the project to the SWTPR list, but commented that prioritization is done by all communities in the SWTPR and, for a project to be voted as a high priority, it would be critical to demonstrate how it would benefit the region, not just the county or Pagosa Springs.
Constan and Cady commented that the resiliency of U.S. 160 could be a reason for such a project.
Constan added that one way to approach the project could be to break it into pieces.
Cady commented that many other large projects in the region already had environmental studies done that can take 10 to 15 years to complete, adding that the first step for such a bypass would be looking at the feasibility of a route and conducting environmental studies to determine the ideal route prior to beginning work to secure funding.
Medina asked what the success rate for the animal crossing on U.S. 160 near Colo. 151 has been.
Funk and Cady commented that CDOT has been pleased with the results of the project, although Constan added that it would take “a couple years” for the crash data at the location to be updated and provide empirical information on the value of the crossing.
Medina then raised the issue of potentially creating a wildlife crossing on the southern portion of U.S. 84 similar to the crossing recently built on U.S. 160.
Cady commented that such a project would not be high priority due to lower volume of traffic in the area, but that CDOT is aware of the need for such a crossing and is pursuing potential grant opportunities.
Funk added that hearing project proposals such as this is part of the value of the planning process and that, if the data supports it, such a project could potentially be added to the plan.
Cady commented that, due to shortages in funding, Region 5 is almost exclusively working on projects included in its plans, making adding projects to the plan crucial.
Ongoing and upcoming projects
Cady then gave an update on ongoing CDOT projects in the area, including work to reinforce an embankment on U.S. 84 on Confar Hill near the New Mexico border and the project to install fiber along U.S. 160 from Wolf Creek Pass to Durango.
Constan commented that CDOT has been “struggling” with the contractor for the fiber project, but is hoping to have it completed this year.
Following Cady discussing several current and upcoming projects in La Plata and Montezuma counties, including chip seal work on U.S. 160 and work on the intersection between U.S. 160 and U.S. 550, Cady and Constan shifted to discussing the reconstruction of U.S. 160 through downtown Pagosa Springs.
Cady explained that the project was initially a SWTPR project focused on the sharp curve in U.S. 160 in downtown Pagosa Springs, but that work with the county and Town of Pagosa Springs identified a potential larger scope for the project that was presented to and approved by the SWTPR.
Constan stated that CDOT will be re-advertising the project this fall, adding that they put the project out to bid late in spring of 2024 due to having the designs finished and being curious what contractors would “bite.”
She commented that the one bid CDOT received was 30 percent over budget, but that she had had conversations with contractors since then who indicated they would be interested in bidding on the project in the fall.
She stated that the project will last at least two seasons and could potentially go for three depending on how rapidly the contractor works, adding that the project is expected to take 382 working days.
Constan indicated that the project will involve winter shutdowns and that the contractor will be required to patch the road as much as possible during such shutdowns.
She also noted that two lanes of traffic will be kept open at all times and that CDOT has been meeting with local businesses and Town of Pagosa Springs staff to shape additional language in the project specifications that will highlight the importance of seasonal business and traffic.
The contractor will have to maintain pedestrian access to all buildings at all times, Constan indicated, as well as keeping access to all parking lots open at all times.
She stated that access to certain sets of roadways will not be allowed to close simultaneously, such Lewis Street and 4th Street or 3rd Street and 2nd Street.
She added that Hot Springs Boulevard, 4th Street and 8th Street would not be allowed to close simultaneously.
Constan commented that these strategies would help minimize the impacts of the project, although she stated that CDOT is aware that it will be an “impactful,” but necessary, project.
She then discussed the medians included in the project, which she stated CDOT is working on minimizing.
Constan stated that the eastbound section of the 400 block of U.S. 160 between Lewis Street and Hot Springs Boulevard will include a 200-foot-long, 8-foot-wide and 6-inch-tall median section, while a section of U.S. 160 near the Liberty Theatre closer to Hot Springs Boulevard would contain a similar 300-foot-long median.
She relayed that she recently discussed the medians with Pagosa Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Karn Macht, who indicated that he believes the district could manage access for fire trucks with these medians.
She also discussed plowing snow in the median areas.
She stated that snow will likely have to be plowed into parking spaces in short sections.
She indicated that discussions are ongoing with local groups about means to provide additional parking during the construction projects.
Medina asked what the purpose of the medians is, especially away from pedestrian walkways.
Constan explained that the medians are tied to the safety funding included in the project and the requirement for medians is driven by crash data in the area, with the medians intended to provide “definite separation” between traffic lanes and to slow traffic by creating “friction.”
In addition, she stated that CDOT data shows a 10 percent larger reduction in crashes in areas with a hard median as opposed to a painted median.
She added that incorporating design elements like medians is also a significant contributor to helping fund the project.
CDOT Region 5 Traffic/Safety Engineer Jennifer Allison commented that the medians in this project are focused on addressing crash hotspots.
In response to a question from Maez, Constan stated that the funding for the project is available even if the bids for the project come in as high as the previous bid in the spring of 2024.
Maintenance update
The BoCC then heard a maintenance update from Region 5 Maintenance Superintendent Mike Watson, who noted a range of completed projects, including spot patching on a portion of Colo. 151 and the repair of the Coyote Creek Bridge on U.S. 84 near County Road (CR) 359.
He discussed a range of paving projects, culvert replacements and other projects in Montezuma and La Plata counties.
The group also discussed the potential for work to mitigate rock falls on Colo. 151 near mile marker 23 after Brown raised the issue.
Maez pointed out that a concrete barrier on Wolf Creek Pass near Treasurer Falls is damaged, which Watson commented he would examine.
Aspen Springs park and ride
Discussion then moved on to a potential park and ride location in Aspen Springs, with Brown highlighting that CDOT gave property for the park and ride to Archuleta County and that there is a “significant need” for it, although the county missed adding it to the SWTPR priorities list.
He added that the location would also benefit the addition of a Bustang route to Pagosa Springs that the county is working on.
Cady asked if the county has design done for the project.
Brown replied that he believes there is a preliminary design completed.
Cady stated that there might be Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund grants available to help finalize the design and opportunities to have the project added to the statewide transportation plan.
He added that the project being already designed would help with its prioritization.
CDOT Transit Grant Manager TJ Burr stated that the Bustang project is currently not making significant movement forward and commented that the county also received approximately $143,000 for engineering and environmental work on the park and ride project.
Aspen Springs Metro District board member Eric Davidson added that the metro district has also placed its support behind the park and ride project.
County’s Light Plant Road construction
Constan then raised the issue of county construction work on CR 119 (Light Plant Road), noting that it contributed to traffic issues on July 4 and commenting that, if the project is expected to be ongoing through July and August, CDOT would like to discuss making the U.S. 84/U.S. 160 intersection a three-way stop to ease traffic congestion.
Interim County Manager Jack Harper stated that the project is expected to still be underway during this time and will be a full closure of the roadway.
Maez asked if the three-way stop would be temporary.
Constan stated it would be and that it would be removed following the completion of the CR 119 construction.
Harper stated that Constan should speak with county Public Works Director Mike Torres to continue discussions about implementing the stop.
Following further discussion of the traffic issues at this intersection, the commissioners expressed support for the proposal.
josh@pagosasun.com
