U.S. 40/287 Project Begins … Next segment of Ports-to-Plains route under construction

Colorado Department of Transportation

July 21, 2010

LINCOLN COUNTY – Work is underway on a 10 mile reconstruction of U.S. 40/287, east of Hugo. 

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) project includes rebuilding the highway in concrete, beginning at mile 403.8 (about four miles southeast of Hugo), and continuing east to mile 413.5.  Work also involves placement of box culvert extensions, drainage improvements, striping and seeding.

        Project hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, with occasional work on Saturdays, as necessary.  Initial operations require shoulder and lane closures at one or two locations, with flaggers alternating traffic through the work zone.  Stops up to 15 minutes can be expected.  A 40 mph speed limit will be in effect and vehicles wider than 12 feet are restricted from traveling through the area.

        Beginning in late August, concrete paving is scheduled to begin, requiring pilot cars to alternate one lane of traffic through five miles of the work zone.  This operation will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Delays up to 25 minutes should be expected.  CDOT will send out an advisory shortly before this phase begins.

         The project continues through December 2010 before shutting down for the winter.  Work is scheduled to resume in spring 2011, with all work scheduled for completion by November 2011.

        Castle Rock Construction Company of Centennial, Colo., is the contractor for the $10 million project.

        CDOT has reconstructed 12 segments of U.S. 40/287 through southeastern Colorado since 1996.  In June, a nine-mile segment was rebuilt, just south of the current work zone.  A 13-mile section also was completed last summer, south of Lamar.

        “The reconstruction of Highway 40 and 287 remains a major goal,” says CDOT Resident Engineer Travis Miller. “This route is considered crucial for national, state and local economic development since it’s part of the Ports to Plains corridor.”

        U.S. 287 between the Oklahoma border (including U.S. 40 between Limon and Kit Carson) and Denver is Colorado’s portion of the Ports to Plains route.  Concrete reconstruction of the highway is of primary importance due to its current and future use as a major truck route, its connection with the Mexico border and its potential to attract and serve markets associated with NAFTA and international trade.

        Traffic information about this or other CDOT projects is on the cotrip.org website, by calling 511 or via subscription e-mail.  To subscribe, please visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner.  The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including Southeast Colorado (Everything East of I-25 and South of I-70).