Work on a new traffic light into the Twin Buttes subdivision along U.S. Highway 160 west will start Monday.

Construction on the first home in the subdivision started in May, but no one lives there yet, said Chief Operating Officer Bob Delves in an email.

He expects the first certificate of occupancy to be issued in a few weeks.

The traffic light is expected to be finished at the end of September, and it will be functional when complete.

Red lights will be triggered by westbound traffic coming out of the subdivision and eastbound traffic turning into the subdivision, said Lisa Schwantes, a spokeswoman with Colorado Department of Transportation.

Eastbound motorists on Highway 160 have a through-lane at the signal and will not be stopped at the Twin Buttes subdivision, Schwantes said.

She could not say how much traffic is expected to use the new light to access the subdivision.

In anticipation of the new light, the speed limit was reduced to 45 mph, shortly before the new light to the intersection of County Road 141 and U.S. Highway 160.

Colorado Department of Transportation staff didn’t want motorists approaching the new light driving at 65 mph, and there is not enough distance for motorists to speed back up before reaching the former 45 mph zone that started near the Wildcat Canyon turnoff, Schwantes said.

Work on the light at U.S. Highway 160 and Tipple Avenue is expected to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday for most of September.

Motorists and cyclists can expect lane shifts and brief delays in both directions on Highway 160, and are urged to use caution while work crews are active in the area.

Construction will be suspended during Labor Day weekend in anticipation of heavy holiday traffic.

Construction at the intersection was paid for by Twin Butte developers and overseen by the CDOT.

Twin Buttes could eventually be home to 655 houses and an additional 135 secondary apartments.

mshinn@durangoherald.com