A monthlong resurfacing project on a 4.4-mile section of Florida Road (County Road 240) began Monday. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane with waits of up to 20 minutes during much of the project as the La Plata County Road and Bridge Department conducts a mill and overlay on the high-traffic arterial.
Traffic will be impacted between mile marker 5.1, where Copper Belle Road enters Edgemont Ranch, east to marker 9.5 at County Road 246, which turns into Colvig Silver Camps. The project is expected to take a month to complete.
Work will be done between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the possibility of some Saturday work. A pilot car will guide traffic through the work zone when one lane is closed.
A recent study by the road and bridge department found that Florida Road was a top priority for resurfacing.
“If you take a hard look at that section of county road, you'll see that it's due for a mill and overlay,” Public Works Director Jim Davis said.
“There's no ideal time to close or to limit access on a major arterial, but in order to keep these roads safe and paved, we have to do the work when we can,” said County spokesman Ted Holteen.
Every attempt will be made to minimize delays during peak morning and afternoon commuting hours, according to a county news release.
The project is timed to dodge both peak summer traffic and treacherous winter weather.
“Motorists are encouraged to allow a little extra travel time for their commute and to drive with caution through the work zone, for their own safety and the safety of the work crews,” the release said.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
