On August 19, the Pagosa Springs Cone Zone Care Committee hosted a meeting with Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) representatives to provide an update on the upcoming Highway 160 Reconstruction project scheduled to begin next spring. The meeting covered a range of important details, including the proposed timeline and contractor selection process, introduction of the project management teams, safety and traffic management, and communication strategies.
To listen to the meeting recording, please visit our YouTube channel.
Project Timeline and Contractor Selection
CDOT will advertise the Highway 160 Reconstruction project for bids on September 19, 2024; bids will be due within four weeks. CDOT plans to select a contractor by mid-November, with construction slated to begin between March 17 and April 14, 2025, depending on weather.
The project will be a “working day” contract, meaning the contractor must finish within 324 working days; if the project extends longer than that, the contractor will pay a per-day penalty. CDOT is aiming for a “two-season” duration, which means construction would start in spring 2025, with a winter break at the end of 2025 through the beginning of 2026. The goal is to wrap up the work before the snow flies in the fall 2026.
CDOT hopes to receive multiple bids this round, after receiving only a single bid back in March that exceeded the project’s budget, and which was therefore rejected. The proposed budget has been increased this time, however, to roughly match the single bid that was rejected in March.
If the project bids exceed the available budget, CDOT and the Town of Pagosa Springs will evaluate options, which could include identifying additional funding sources or potentially re-scoping the project.
CDOT Program Engineer Kevin Curry said, “If bids come in high, we will evaluate whether we can find funding to cover that gap, and that includes working with the Town, because the Town has money in this project, and decide where to go from there if bids blow us out of the water.” The final decision on how to proceed will depend on the magnitude of a budget shortfall compared to available funding.
Incorporating Business Feedback into the Reconstruction Project
CDOT has incorporated some feedback and concerns from the business community into the contract requirements for limitation of operations and traffic control. These include:
- Restricting the contractor from closing multiple intersections simultaneously to maintain access.
- Requiring the contractor to work with the school district to ensure safe student drop-off and pick-up times.
- Limiting traffic delays to no more than 15 minutes, though enforcing this may be challenging.
- Requiring the contractor to maintain access to all businesses and not block any business entrances.
These adjustments demonstrate CDOT’s efforts to balance construction needs with the concerns of our community.
Phased Planning and Traffic Management
The contractor will be required to submit a phased plan and weekly schedules for CDOT review. Key points regarding traffic management and coordination during peak seasons include:
- Maintaining two lanes of traffic through the town, with exception of the pinch point at the First Street bridge.
- Identifying a phased plan to minimize traffic disruptions, which CDOT will review.
- Holding weekly meetings with the contractor to discuss the critical path schedule and any upcoming work that could impact traffic.
- Adhering to contract limitations on which intersections, if any, can be closed simultaneously to ensure traffic flow.
- Considering the seasonal business nature of the town and coordinating additional outreach during the busy June-August period.
These measures will help ensure that traffic delays are minimized, especially during the peak summer tourist season.
Balancing Safety, Traffic, and Community Needs
Another key point CDOT emphasized during the meeting is that the contractor’s scheduling and approach will prioritize safety and traffic management above all else. While this may at times create inconveniences for local businesses and residents, CDOT assured the community that they are committed to working closely with us to find the best possible solutions.
“We understand that the construction process will create challenges and disruptions, and we do not want to dismiss the very real concerns of our local businesses and residents,” said CDOT Regional Communications Manager Lisa Schwantes. “However, our top priorities have to be ensuring the safety of workers, drivers, and pedestrians, as well as maintaining the flow of traffic through the area.”
CDOT can’t dictate the contractor’s schedule based on convenience or business needs alone. The phasing and timing of the work is driven by safety considerations and managing traffic congestion, even if that means the contractor must work during less ideal times such as evenings and weekends.
Ongoing Communication and Collaboration
CDOT emphasized their commitment to provide ongoing communication through several avenues, including regular meetings with Cone Zone and the Town to gather feedback, address issues, and collaborate on solutions. They also introduced the project management and public information teams who will be the primary points of contact. The construction manager will be Mike Coggins, project engineer from RockSol Consulting Group. Coggins has previous experience working on projects in the Pagosa Springs area and will oversee daily management of the project. CDOT also introduced the public information team, including Tracy Trulove of Trulove Strategic Communications and Meredith Greene of Socius Amica.
“Our goal is to make this project a success not just for CDOT, but for the entire Pagosa Springs community,” Schwantes said. “We know this won’t be easy, but we are confident that by working together, we can find the right balance and get through this challenging period.”
In the coming weeks, CDOT will be launching a dedicated project website, hotline, and email address to provide ongoing updates and alerts for our community. Cone Zone also will continue to play a vital role in coordinating communication with the management teams and keeping our community informed. We encourage all businesses and residents to stay involved throughout this process. Working together, we can ensure that the downtown reconstruction project is completed as smoothly and efficiently as possible, while minimizing the impact on our community.
Join us for the next Cone Zone gathering on September 16, 2024. The meeting will begin at 6:00pm and the location is TBD.
These gatherings provide a great opportunity for our community to stay informed and share ideas for successfully navigating the reconstruction project scheduled to begin in spring 2025.