During a meeting held by the Pagosa Springs Town Council on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Region 5 Transportation Director Julie Constan explained that the reconstruction project of U.S. 160 through downtown Pagosa Springs will not be completed by the end of this year as originally planned.
“We are definitely going to be working that into a winter shutdown again,” Constan said, explaining that is not what crews want to do, but that complications from the recent historic flooding events have hindered operations.
“They’re just not going to get this project done by the end of the year,” she said.
Constan explained the plan is for crews to remove barriers and barricades from 1st Street to 4th Street, “so we would open that up.”
She noted that as much sidewalk work and road striping will be completed to get that section “as normal as we can.”
She indicated that any place where barriers can be removed, “we are trying to get that done,” and crews will return in the spring to finish the project.
CDOT Region 5 Communications Manager Lisa Schwantes also explained that the reconstruction project contractor, WW Clyde, is assisting CDOT with emergency recovery projects on other roads in the area that have sustained significant damage.
Mayor Shari Pierce asked what intersections will be open through the winter with the reconstruction project entering another winter shutdown.
Constan indicated that the goal is to have “all the intersections open, if we can.”
She added, “I think we can, is what I was hearing.”
Pierce noted that it is “kind of a maze” to get around parts of downtown Pagosa Springs currently.
In response to another question from the council, Constan explained that areas where new concrete has not been poured yet will remain that way through the winter, but that the plan is to have access for all business opened up through the winter.
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