Status

The City of Durango would like to thank community members for their continued patience and understanding as work progresses on this complex infrastructure project.

This project involves installing a large storm drain system beneath the roadway—an intensive effort that requires precise placement of heavy concrete pipes and inlets to ensure proper water flow and long-term system performance. The subsurface work is both time- and equipment-intensive, and accuracy is essential to achieving the project’s drainage and safety goals.

Progress along County Road 250 has been particularly challenging due to extensive underground utilities and the need to maintain access for nearby businesses. Crews have had to adjust the storm drain alignment to bypass a sewer service connected to the Animas Square property. This required a redesign and the installation of an additional manhole.

In addition, the City is working with a nearby property owner to secure a utility easement needed by La Plata Electric Association (LPEA). This easement is required to relocate an electrical pole at the intersection of Metz Lane and CR 250. The relocation must occur before the contractor can complete the new turn lane into Metz Lane. Negotiations for this easement are ongoing, and electrical design work will resume once the easement is finalized.

Despite these challenges, the contractor and City team continue to make steady progress and are working diligently to deliver a high-quality project. Once complete, this project will provide significant safety improvements, enhance multimodal connectivity, support local economic growth, and improve stormwater management and water quality in the Animas River.

About the Project

The reconstruction project begins at Holly Ave and extends easterly along CR 251 to the intersection with CR 250 and Metz Lane. The project then extends southerly along CR 250 until connecting with the previously constructed roadway improvements (see project area map below).

This stretch of roadway is considered a main arterial road in Durango and experiences some of the higher traffic volumes in the city. As with many roads in and around Durango, traffic volumes are increasing, as well as pedestrian and multimodal travel. As a result, the community has identified the increased benefit of more urban city street amenities along this corridor which will provide for greater traffic safety, aesthetics and accommodations for pedestrians, bikes and multimodal traffic.

Through funding from the Joint Sales Tax Fund, the City of Durango and La Plata County are redesigning County Road 250 and 251 to create safer opportunities for pedestrian and multimodal traffic. The current cost for the project is estimated at $8.8 million. The City and La Plata County have agreed to pay $4.4 million each, not including contingencies or construction management costs. The Joint Sales Tax Fund is being used for this project because the project area contains portions of roadway both inside and outside city limits.

image of project area

CR 251 (32nd St) and CR 250 road closures will impact traffic through the project construction.