CDOT Completes Rockfall Protection and Retaining Wall Replacement on U.S. 550 Coal Bank Pass
Key Highlights
- CDOT completed a full stabilization package on U.S. 550 Coal Bank Pass, addressing multiple slope and rockfall hazards across the corridor.
- A retaining wall under the highway was replaced, requiring excavation shoring to maintain stability during construction.
- Deer Creek received a permanent steel-post rockfall catchment barrier, adding long-term protection against debris impacts.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has completed a major rockfall mitigation and roadway stabilization project on U.S. 550’s Coal Bank Pass, enhancing safety along the mountainous stretch between Durango and Silverton.
The work, performed in partnership with Myers & Son Construction, began in May and focused on two key locations: Coal Bank Pass at Mile Point 56.9 and Deer Creek at Mile Point 59.3, according to Western Slope Now.
At the Coal Bank Pass location, crews replaced the aging retaining wall beneath the highway, a process that required excavation shoring to stabilize surrounding soils during construction. CDOT also installed a new culvert near the summit, according to CDOT’s press release.
Work at the Deer Creek site included tree and rock removal, slope excavation and the construction of a permanent rockfall catchment barrier. The barrier — composed of steel posts and fencing — is designed to prevent falling rocks from reaching the roadway, CDOT shared in a press release.
Between the two locations, crews installed an anchored mesh netting system at Mile Point 57.4. The system, bolted into the rock face, stabilizes 750 feet of cliffside along the roadway’s northbound lane, according to the agency.
CDOT reported that the project concluded with guardrail upgrades, milling and paving work and new roadway striping.
Sources: Western Slope Now, CDOT