August 8, 2008
TRAFFIC ADVISORY
CONCRETE RECONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON US 34 AT
MAIN STREET AND BEGINS ON US 34 AT STATE HIGHWAY 59
YUMA COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has completed the concrete reconstruction on the northern half of the US 34/Main Street intersection in Yuma and traffic will now be realigned onto the newly constructed portion so work can begin on the southern portion.
“Motorists traveling on US 34 will be in a temporary alignment and only one lane in each direction will be open at the intersection until the end of next week when all of the concrete work is complete,” said CDOT Project Engineer Jeff Vickers. “In the meantime, motorists may encounter some delays as the closures will be in place 24 hours a day.”
In addition to the work on US 34 at Main Street, crews will begin intersection reconstruction at US 34 and State Highway (SH) 59 next week. The intersection will be reconstructed in concrete, which will require crews to complete the work in quadrants. Work at the intersection will begin in the southwest quadrant. It is expected to take a little over a week to complete each quadrant, which means it will take approximately four to five weeks for the entire intersection.
While work is underway on US 34 at SH 59, US 34 will be in a temporary alignment with one lane closed in each direction 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, turn movements will be limited for truck traffic at the intersection due to limited width and detour routes will be posted taking trucks one block to the east.
The reconstruction work is part of the second phase of the entire resurfacing project on US 34 between mileposts 222.4 and 224.5. The project will resurface US 34 in asphalt, reconstruct the US 34/Main Street and US 34/State Highway (SH) 59 intersections in concrete and replace some curb and gutter and handicap ramps.
The first phase consisted of curb and gutter and handicap ramp replacement along some areas of US 34. Below is a tentative schedule for the remaining two phases:
July 28th-August 29th: The next phase of the project will reconstruct the US 34/Main Street and US 34/SH 59 intersections in concrete. During this phase, motorists can expect various lane closures and possibly some temporary alignments and detour routes.
August 29th-October 31st: The final phase of the project will rotomill and pave the rest of US 34 in asphalt.
During the phase, traffic will be realigned onto the westbound lanes so that eastbound US 34 can be paved. Once work is complete on the eastbound lanes, traffic will be realigned to the eastbound lanes so that work can begin on the westbound lanes.
Throughout the project, delays are expected and alternate routes are advised. CDOT would like to reminder motorists to be patient, plan ahead and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”
LaFarge North America, Inc. is the contractor of this $4 million project, which will be complete by the end of October 2008.
###