CDOT finds money for local highway road repairs

Rangely, Meeker
area roads included
RBC — Last week, the
Colorado Transportation
Commission set aside $1.6 million
fromits contingency fund in
order to repair distressed pavements
on the Western Slope.
The funds will repair or
resurface 21 highway segments
damaged as a result of the
severe winter season.
“The Western Slope has
experienced harsh winter conditions,
which are taking a
major toll on our transportation
system,” said Transportation
Commission Chairman Doug
Aden. “Many of the highways
have greatly deteriorated or
completely failed over the last
several months.”
For the safety of the traveling
public, it is essential that we
repair these roadways quickly
but unfortunately we have to
use contingency funds as
CDOT’s budget is being
stretched very thin.”
The Transportation
Commission sets aside 5 percent
of CDOT’s budget in order
to fund unexpected emergencies
(I-25 sinkhole, State
Highway 67 flood damage, I-70
bridge repair in Bennett, etc.)
throughout the year.
As the start of the fiscal year,
the contingency fund was $57.3
million and after this recent
transfer, only $10.8 million
remains.
The highway segments that
are in need of repair include:

State Highway (SH) 13
from Rifle to Rio Blanco Hill

SH 64 from Rangely to
Meeker

SH 90 near Nucla

SH 133 near Somerset

SH 149 near Lake City

US 6 near West
Rifle/Parachute

US 6 near
Parachute/Debeque (two different
segments in this area)

US 6 near Loma/Fruita
(two different segments in this
area)
SH 141 near Whitewater

SH 65 near Grand Mesa

I-70 near the Silt interchange

SH 82 in Glenwood

I-70 near Eagle area

US 6 from Eagle to
Wolcott

US 6 from Wolcott to
Avon

SH 91, Fremont Pass

SH 82, Independence
Pass
US 40 in Steamboat
Springs

US 40 Muddy Pass
“Some of the roadways have
deteriorated to the point that
we have been forced to reduce
the speed limit from 65 mph to
25 mph,” added Aden. “This is
unacceptable to CDOT and we
are going to do everything we
can to get our highways
repaired in a timely manner to
minimize the wear and tear on
vehicles that travel these rutted
highways.”
The majority of the repairs
will begin in the next several
months and will be conducted
by Colorado Department of
Transportation (CDOT) maintenance
crews or by a contractor
where necessary.