Colorado and New Mexico Highway 17 opens to travel Nov. 6 between Antonito, Colo., and Chama, N.M.

CDOT urges motorists to plan for additional travel time through several flood recovery work zones in both Colorado and New Mexico. CDOT and NM DOT maintenance and construction crews continue to repair several segments of the highway that were damaged during flooding this past weekend. There are an automated portable traffic signals in place to guide motorists through the lane closure areas. There is an 11' width restriction in place.  

All restrictions have been lifted for travel within the community of Pagosa Springs. US 160 through the downtown area is open. Pagosa Springs has restored essential services, cleared primary roads and is welcoming visitors. Check local updates at www.pagosasprings.co.gov or  visitpagosasprings.com. Archuleta County and Town of Pagosa officials urge travelers to slow down and watch for construction and flood recovery work underway on county roads and town streets. 

Surrounding state road conditions 

Check real-time Colorado travel conditions at COtrip.org or on the COtrip Planner mobile app. For conditions in neighboring states, visit:

• New Mexico: NMroads.com
• Arizona: AZ511.gov
• Utah: udottraffic.utah.gov

Guidance for freight and commercial drivers

With repair crews actively working along the river corridors, long-haul freight operations will save considerable time and avoid bottlenecks by routing around the region:

• Use alternate interstate corridors: Interstate freight moving east–west across Colorado or northern New Mexico should avoid rural mountain passes and route via I-70 to the north or I-40 to the south. 

• Stick to state-designated routes: Commercial drivers making essential deliveries into the area must avoid GPS shortcuts onto unpaved, seasonal forest roads or rural county roads. Many backroads cannot support heavy vehicle turning radiuses, have strict weight limits or have sustained minor shoulder damage. These roads may have also sustained flooding damage. View the latest travel impacts, road repairs and open corridors on COtrip.org or through the free COtrip Planner app.

• Build in extra transit time: Deliveries routed into Pagosa Springs, Bayfield or Durango should account for substantial extra travel time.

Tips for essential travelers

Crews will continue cleanup and roadway stabilization throughout the week to restore normal travel patterns as quickly as possible. For those who must travel locally:

• Know before you go: View the latest travel impacts, road repairs and open corridors on COtrip.org or through the free COtrip Planner app.

• Slow down in work zones: Maintenance and bridge inspection crews are working closely alongside active roadways. Please yield extra space and obey posted speed reductions.

• Keep supplies on hand: As with any mountain travel, maintain a full tank of fuel and keep extra snacks, water and warm layers in your vehicle in case of travel delays.