Motorists have experienced delays and closures on Red Mountain Pass since July for road construction, but from now through the winter, only Mother Nature will be holding up traffic.
The work had been scheduled to continue through Nov. 15, so it’s done two weeks early.
The Colorado Department of Transportation announced Monday that construction on two sections of U.S. Highway 550, including crib walls, culverts, retaining walls and some paving had been completed. A third section between mileposts 79.5 to 79.4 about nine miles north of Silverton has been completed for the season, and work will resume when spring arrives.
The projects this summer have been stabilizing the under-highway slope-side walls to protect the safety and integrity of the highway, CDOT said in a news release.
The news is not just good for travelers. Up to 12 inches of snow is forecasted to fall on the pass by Friday, so the end of the construction season was looming.
Red Mountain Pass sees average traffic of almost 2,165 vehicles daily.
abutler@durangoherald.com
