Starting tonight, Monday, through Friday (September 20 – 24) there will be full closures of US 160 near Chimney Rock National Monument and Lake Capote. The closures are scheduled from 9pm to 6am, nightly.
Motorists should seek the alternate southern route if travel is absolutely necessary during the closure hours. A detour at the project site is not available.
The intersection of US 160 and CO 151 will remain open; however, motorists will only be able to travel westbound (toward Bayfield) on US 160 from the intersection during closure times. Eastbound travel will be prohibited as the closure area is just east of the intersection. Additionally, vehicles are not permitted to stop and wait on US 160 for the project to open.
During the nighttime closures, motorists seeking eastbound/westbound access on U.S. 160 are advised to arrive at the closure point before 9pm. Otherwise, travelers may consider an alternate southern route via U.S. highways 84, 64 and 550, through New Mexico. A detour at the work zone is not available.
Additionally, vehicles are not permitted to stop or wait overnight on U.S. 160 while the highway is closed.
“Closing U.S. 160 is necessary to set the wildlife overpass structure into place,” said Julie Constan, CDOT southwest regional transportation director. “Large precast concrete arches will be placed over the roadway. Keeping the traveling public safe during these crane operations is a priority and dictates the need for the closure.”
Traffic impacts
Nighttime work: From 9pm to 6am, Monday through Friday, September 13-17 (for five nights) motorists can expect a full shutdown of U.S. 160. Alternate routes via southern New Mexico highways are advised during this timeframe. No detour for passenger or commercial traffic is available. Motorists are not allowed to park and wait along the highway overnight. The project team has coordinated with area agencies to ensure law enforcement and medical vehicles have emergency access if needed.
Daytime work: Daytime work will not take place during the closure. Daytime construction activity will resume on Sept. 20, weekdays from 7am to 7pm. A temporary signal will be in place 24/7, reducing vehicles to a single lane and alternating traffic intermittently in either direction. Motorists can expect short delays. Speeds are reduced to 30 mph in the work zone.
Project milestones
More than three-fourths of the wildlife fencing is completed.
Paving of the Colo. 151 and U.S. 160 intersection is completed and a deer guard installed.
The south side of the underpass is completed, with the north side being set in the next two weeks.
Paving and widening of the highway is completed from the west end of Colo. 151 in the eastbound lanes.
Wildlife-vehicle collisions make up more than 60 percent of crashes along this stretch of highway. The $11.3 million project is expected to reduce those collisions by at least 80%, potentially mirroring success rates of other wildlife mitigation projects in Colorado. The project is expected to conclude in late fall.
PROJECT INFO: www.codot.gov/projects/us160-wildlife-crossing