A variety of road work is ongoing in Archuleta County, including the milling and repaving of County Road (CR) 119 (also known as Light Plant Road), stabilization on U.S. 84 about 8 miles north of the New Mexico border and magnesium chloride application on a number of county roads.
County road projects
Archuleta County Road and Bridge Manager Eric McRae explains in a communication that CR 119 closed on June 4 and is expected to be closed for “upwards of 120 days” for a “full depth restoration.”
In an interview, Archuleta County Communications Specialist Ashley Springer indicated that the road will be closed to all but traffic from homes in the area and the closure will be for the entire length of the road between Apache Street and U.S. 84.
McRae states that the county staff are currently completing magnesium chloride application on CR 200.
He adds that the next roads to be treated will be CR 500 and CR 302, with crews moving south along U.S. 84 to apply magnesium chloride to roads in the southern portion of the county after that.
McRae also states that work on the North Pagosa Boulevard culvert project where the road crosses Martinez Creek is expected to be finished by the end of the week, with the application of an asphalt patch over the culvert area scheduled to occur on June 10 and June 11.
He adds that this work will involve lane closures on North Pagosa Boulevard where the patch is being applied.
The county is currently waiting until next week for asphalt to be available to begin utilizing the hot box asphalt reclaiming trailer that the county purchased this year for pavement patching, McRae explains.
He adds that the county received the trailer last week.
Manhole projects
Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) District Engineer/Manager Justin Ramsey stated in an interview that a new manhole has been installed off the roadway following the failure of a manhole on North Pagosa Boulevard near Lakeside Drive last week.
He indicated that asphalt patching at the location in the road where the manhole failed will occur in the near future and will likely involve a one-day closure of North Pagosa Boulevard at that location.
The district is also completing another project relating to manholes.
PAWSD Operations Manager Andrew Connor explains in a communication that Pagosa Rooter, a local inspection and repair company contracted by PAWSD, is completing routine manhole inspections and cleaning in the Trails subdivision.
He added that PAWSD staff assist this work by locating manholes, which involves placing traffic cones and other markers on the roadways to indicate where manholes are located.
U.S. 84 project
In a recently update, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) states work continues on a portion of U.S. 84.
“The project will help mitigate a landslide and stabilize the US 84 roadway infrastructure,” the update states.
The update also outlines the schedule of work and restrictions involved with the stabilization project on U.S. 84 on Confar Hill, 7.7 miles north of the New Mexico board.
It indicates that the work hours for the project are between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and that the westbound right hand lane of U.S. 84 will be closed at all times through the end of the month.
The update states that delays of up to 15 minutes are expected for traffic passing through the work zone and that speeds through the area are reduced to 25 mph.
A 10-foot width restriction is also in place, the release notes.
“Work consists of the installation of a concrete wall barrier with a reinforced subsurface pile system drilled into the ground. Crews will replace an existing drainage culvert with a new concrete and corrugated metal pipe under the roadway. Slope repairs will help stabilize the roadway including widening the roadway to include a 13’ shoulder. Finally, work will include asphalt repaving and the installation of a new guardrail. The project is expected to last until the end of December,” it explains about the project.
josh@pagosasun.com