CDOT paving work on Highway 160 will slow Durango summer traffic

The six-mile run between Durango and Elmore’s Corner is about to turn into a slower, tighter drive, and the timing matters for anyone leaving town for a trailhead, a campground or a westbound connection. Colorado Department of Transportation said paving work on U.S. Highway 160 begins June 14, with lane reductions, lower speeds and nighttime traffic shifts that will stretch through the summer.

The work zone runs from around the Durango High Bridge area north of Wal-Mart to the CO 172 and CR 234 intersection at Elmore’s Corner, covering mile points 86 to 92 in La Plata County. Most of the actual paving and milling is scheduled for overnight hours, Sunday night through Friday morning from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., but CDOT said daytime congestion is still likely because lane reductions and slower speeds will stay in place around the clock. Motorists can expect single-lane closures in both directions, a 40 mph speed limit in the work zone and delays of up to 15 minutes during nighttime operations.

That is the kind of slowdown that can throw off a clean evening arrival in Durango or make an early-morning departure feel tighter than it should. The corridor feeds Three Springs, Mercy Hospital, the Grandview Interchange and the broader San Juan backcountry, so even a short backup can ripple through trips built around hiking, rafting or camping plans. CDOT has also pointed drivers toward an alternate route via Grandview Interchange and Wilson Gulch Drive for access to Three Springs and Mercy Hospital while work continues near the Three Springs Boulevard intersection.

The resurfacing itself is part of a larger March-to-November 2026 project estimated at $11.2 million and handled by Elam Construction. CDOT says the job includes resurfacing, new striping and delineators, guardrail and road sign replacement, drainage and inlet repairs in the median, resurfacing on Grandview Interchange exit ramps, and new ADA-compliant curb ramps at the CO 172 and CR 234, Dominguez Drive, River Road and Three Springs Boulevard intersections. The new guardrail will stand 31 inches high and is designed to meet newer safety standards.

CDOT says the goal is to add years of life to the highway, improve durability and make the corridor safer. That summer squeeze on U.S. 160 is only the first step in a much bigger corridor rebuild, which is why a drive that once looked simple on the map now needs a buffer before anyone rolls east or west out of Durango.