The city of Durango’s North College Drive reconstruction project is nearing the final stretch, which will require a complete closure of the road during weekdays starting in mid-September.
North College Drive will be closed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays beginning Sept. 15. The daily closures are expected to continue for two weeks, according to the city.
The road will open again to through traffic in the evenings and on weekends.
Residents living along North College Drive and its side streets will have road access, and mail and trash services will be allowed through, although delays could occur because of trucks and workers on the job site, the city said in a news release.
Durango Transportation Director Sarah Hill said city buses on the Fort Lewis transit route will be unable to travel through the work zone, so the city has added an additional temporary bus that will be able to serve all stops on the route except for the Willow Place and North College Drive route. All stops excluding that one will remain served on schedule throughout construction.
Residents will receive notifications about the closure on their doors and utility bills, and signage will be posted ahead of the closure on North College Drive.
The city recommended drivers take an alternative route of Goeglein Gulch Road, accessible by East College Drive (Eighth Street), to access College Mesa.
“Keeping the road open during paving operations would have extended the process by an additional three to four weeks,” a city news release said.
The work planned between Sept. 15 and Sept. 29 will consist of paving on North College Drive and Aquarius Place and the construction of water quality ponds. Bus stops, trash cans and mailbox relocation are scheduled for Sept. 22 to 30.
Cleanup is scheduled for October.
The reconstruction project began last year and was prompted by aging infrastructure that caused water main leaks, which led to roadway degradation, according to the city’s Engage Durango webpage for the project.
It consists of the replacement of water, sanitary sewer and stormwater systems in addition to the building of traffic calming features and new curb, gutter, sidewalks and paving.
“This project is years in the making to ensure all planning was in place so the roadway is only disturbed once,” the project description said.
cburney@durangoherald.com
