US Highway 550 between Durango and Silverton will undergo full road closures in both directions from August 25 to August 28, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The closures will take place daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., affecting Mile Points 56 to 63 near Coal Bank Pass.
Northbound traffic will be stopped just north of the Coal Bank Pass overlook and Pass Creek trailhead at Mile Point 56.6. Southbound vehicles will be halted at Andrews Lake Road, Mile Point 63. The closure is necessary for crews to install a new culvert under the roadway near the summit of Coal Bank Pass.
Access to key areas including the Pass Creek/Engineer Mountain trailhead parking area, the Coal Bank Pass overlook, and restrooms will remain available during these times.
Motorists are advised to plan travel around the scheduled closure periods or use Colorado Highway 145 through Telluride as an alternate route. Travelers should also anticipate continued full stops and delays of up to 20 minutes at two traffic signal locations between Mile Points 56 and 60 throughout the duration of this project.
Work on the US 550 Rockfall Mitigation and Wall Replacement project began on May 12. Crews have since completed slope excavation, removed rocks, and started transporting excavated material to a stockpile location near Andrews Lake at Mile Point 62.7. Efforts to stabilize and reinforce the sub-grade under the roadway just north of Engineer Mountain Trailhead have been completed. Current work involves installing a culvert and building a new retaining wall structure beneath the highway.
For more information about this project, CDOT encourages individuals to call their project information line at 970-718-5148 or visit their website at https://www.codot.gov/projects/us550wallreplacement.
“Scaling is the removal of loose and unstable rocks from slopes, cliffs and steep terrain.”
