Silverton, CO 4th of July: Traffic Delays Expected

Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 2:51 PM

A heavy equipment operator excavates the northbound lane of US 550 - Molas Pass two miles south of Silverton. The work is part of a project which will replace aging retaining walls (known as crib walls).

Visitors arriving and leaving Silverton should anticipate significant traffic delays as hundreds of vehicles enter and leave Silverton, but law enforcement and flagging crews will adjust the delay times to allow for the maximum northbound or southbound travel through the project zone. Additionally, law enforcement encourages motorists to especially avoid traveling northbound between Durango and Silverton on US 550 from 9 p.m. until midnight on July 4 to ease congestion and so that motorists leaving Silverton can more easily travel south to Durango and beyond.

From CDOT: The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and contractor Rock & Company are working closely with the Town of Silverton, San Juan County and the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) to ensure a safe Fourth of July holiday weekend, with road construction continuing on US Highway (US) 550 Molas Pass.

TRAVEL IMPACTS: Although construction will be suspended at the project site Friday, June 30 through Tuesday, July 4, special traffic control measures will be set in place for much of the day on July 4. During Silverton’s Fourth of July celebration, flagging crews will assist with any surge traffic when the fireworks and evening events begin and conclude on July 4. Visitors arriving and leaving Silverton should anticipate significant traffic delays as hundreds of vehicles enter and leave Silverton, but law enforcement and flagging crews will adjust the delay times to allow for the maximum northbound or southbound travel through the project zone. Additionally, law enforcement encourages motorists to especially avoid traveling northbound between Durango and Silverton on US 550 from 9 p.m. until midnight on July 4 to ease congestion and so that motorists leaving Silverton can more easily travel south to Durango and beyond. For the remainder of the weekend, portable traffic signals will be in place to direct traffic through the construction area and motorists traveling either direction should expect delays of approximately 7 minutes.

The CSP, the Town of Silverton and San Juan County also remind the public that there will be a heavy law enforcement presence in the area over the weekend. Motorists are urged to drive safely on this very busy holiday weekend and never drink and drive!

PROJECT OVERVIEW: CDOT and Rock & Company continue work to improve the safety and integrity of US 550 by replacing under-highway downhill retaining walls, known as crib walls, on Molas Pass, just south of Silverton in San Juan County. There are two separate crib wall replacements, one at milepost 68.6 and one at milepost 68.8. Traffic is restricted to single-lane alternating traffic through the project zone as crews excavate in the northbound lane in preparation for the new walls.

You can call the project hotline at (970)209-3332, email us at highwayinfocolorado@gmail.com, or visit https://www.codot.gov/projects/us-550-molas-pass-cribwalls for more information,

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