The front hill to Fort Lewis College on East Eighth Avenue will reopen Wednesday morning after an extended closure for road maintenance.

The road had to be closed June 26 to allow crews to dig up the road and replace a culvert above the hairpin turn, said Kelsey Deckert, project manager for FLC’s Physical Plant Services. The recent construction will protect the hillside from erosion, she said.

“The intent of the project is to keep the flows where they belong,” she said.

The road closure had to be extended about a week because the college decided to expand the project and put in 350 feet of new curb and gutter, she said. The curb and gutter starts at the hairpin turn. New concrete work will likely not be visible to drivers because it aligns with the guardrail.

The project’s budget was increased from $130,000 to $155,000 to cover the new curb and gutter, Deckert said.

The project is complete; all that remains is the final inspection Tuesday, Deckert said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com