Colorado DOT On Track with U.S. Highway 40 Improvements
The Colorado Department of Transportation is on track to improve U.S. Highway 40’s Empire section, a route used by hundreds of thousands of skiers traveling to Winter Park and beyond.
The most visible change is a new lawyer of pavement, but important work is also happening underground. CDOT is redoing the road’s drainage system to combat icy conditions that damage the surface.
“This is important because a drainage system will divert water away from U.S. 40, away from the surface of the roadway, because water is not our friend when it comes to roads,” CDOT communications manager Tamara Rollison told CBS News.
The new drainage system will prevent water from pooling on and eroding the highway surface, leading to a smoother drive with fewer potholes. It also decreases the chance of hydroplaning.
"It is an investment in our infrastructure," Rollison said. "We get a lot of value out of that, through the longevity of the roadways."
Both directions of U.S. Highway 40 are being resurfaced. The work begins at the Interstate 70 junction at Mile Point 258.3 and extends about one mile east of Berthoud Falls at Mile Point 252.
CDOT is also fixing and replacing guardrails, signing, striping, inlets and culverts on the highway. Within the town of Empire, traffic signals, crosswalks, curb ramps and drainage systems are being improved as well.
The entire project cost is estimated around $10 million. APC Construction Co. is the contractor.
Work crews are on schedule to finish in December, right at the peak of ski season.