Durango, CO: **The City of Durango will begin construction on the Roosa Avenue “Roosa Connect” safety and connectivity project on July 23 to deliver long-awaited pedestrian and bicycle facilities along Roosa Avenue.
The project includes 4,322 feet of new sidewalk on the east side of Roosa from 9th Street to the Riverbridge Apartments; intersection improvements at Avenida Del Sol and El Paso Street, protected bike lanes, ADA ramp upgrades, transit stop improvements, asphalt milling and overlay, and updated pavement markings to reconfigure traffic flow.
The $2.2 million project is partially funded by a federal Transportation Alternatives Program Grant ($948,644 awarded in 2016) and local matching funds from the voter-approved 2015 half-cent sales and use tax. Work is projected to be complete by the end of November (weather permitting).
"Roosa Connect has been a long time coming, with grant funds awarded in 2016 and this project being a community priority well before then,” said City of Durango Multimodal Manager Lily Oswald. “After years of design work and community input, we're finally breaking ground in partnership with CDOT and local contractors. It's a great example of how these projects take patience, and we are excited to provide safer sidewalks, accessibility, and bike lanes our community can count on for years to come."
This project has been in development for many years in response to community requests and formal planning efforts to make Roosa Avenue safer and more accessible. The design was updated after the city received public feedback from a survey, neighborhood stakeholders, and federal requirements.
The City’s contractor for this project is Silverpick Contracting, with Bechtolt and Branson serving as subcontractors. Construction is anticipated to last 100 days, depending on the weather and delivery schedules of suppliers. Please expect lane shifts, traffic control, and occasional delays in active work areas; drive with caution, watch for workers, and follow posted signage.
Travel Impacts
Daytime work hours range from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Vehicles will be reduced to single-lane traffic in both directions on Roosa during daytime working hours for the duration of the project.
Avenida del Sol will be completely closed during infrastructure and paving work.
To stay informed:
Project details and construction updates will be posted on the Roosa Connect project page.
Weekly citywide construction impacts are shared through the Orange Cone Report. Subscribe via the City’s news flash system.
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Media Contact**Tom SluisPublic Information Officer Phone: (970) 375-5090Email: Tom Sluis