Chaffee and Costilla Counties — The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin culvert repair
work on April 1. Work will take place along four roadways in two south-central Colorado counties: US
Highway 160 in Costilla County and US 24, US 285, and US 50 in Chaffee County. American West
Construction, is the contractor for this project.
Project work will be implemented in phases between April and August. The first culvert repair project
will happen on US 160 at Mile Point 265, about seven miles east of Ft. Garland. Crews will then move
operations to US 285 at MP 130, three miles north of Poncha Springs. The third phase of the project will
happen on US 50 at MP 223, one mile east of Salida. The project team will then move operations to US
285 at MP 136, nine miles north of Poncha Springs. The final phase of the culvert repair project will be on
US 24 at MP 202, eight miles north of Buena Vista.
Culverts are required features of roadway infrastructure to pass water under a road at drainage areas or
stream crossings. The project will make necessary enhancements to accommodate higher accumulations
of rainfall and lower the risks associated with flooding to maintain safe driving conditions. Work will
primarily consist of re-grading the culvert inlet to align drainage with the invert of the pipe, removing the
existing inlet headwalls, and replacing the culverts with new headwalls, wings, and concrete lining the
pipe.
Travel Impacts
● Daytime work hours range from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
● Vehicles may occasionally be reduced to a single-lane, alternating traffic intermittently in either
direction, throughout the duration of the project
● Any periodic lane closures would be guided by flaggers and could have up to 10-15-minute delays.
● The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph through the work zone
● The project is expected to last until the end of August
