US 50 Little Blue Creek Improvements

US 50 Little Blue Creek Canyon between MP 123 and MP 127

travel times	monday	tuesday	wednesday	thursday	friday	saturday	sunday
6:30am - 8:30am
8:30am - 5:30pm
5:30pm - 7:30pm
7:30pm - 6:30am

Information is published below for roadway construction and associated roadway closures for the US 50 Little Blue Creek Canyon Improvement Project:

Regularly scheduled traffic impacts and nighttime full roadway closures will be in place through November of 2023.

CURRENT TRAVEL IMPACTS THROUGH NOVEMBER 2023

Alternating one-way lane daytime closures will be Mondays 8:30 AM- 7:30 PM.
Alternating one-way lane daytime closures will be Tuesday – Friday 6:30 AM- 7:30 PM.
Full roadway closures will occur through the night Monday – Thursday 7:30 PM – 6:30 AM.
US 50 will OPEN to two-way traffic with no delays from Friday at 5:30 PM – Monday at 8:30 AM.

Estimated delay times during roadway opening windows are between 35 minutes to one hour. Plan your travel around the opening windows and be prepared to queue at designated areas.

Width restrictions: Monday - Friday: No loads > 10 ft width; no loads > 80 ft length. Friday at 7:30 pm - Monday at 8:30 am: No restrictions.

US 50 Little Blue Creek Canyon Improvements

Project Overview

The Federal Highway Administration and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will begin a 4-mile improvement project of US Highway 50. This project is also supported by the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (FHWA-CFLHD), in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the National Park Service.

The project is located between mileposts 123 and 127, approximately 30 miles east of Montrose, Colorado, and about 33 miles from Gunnison, Colorado. The route provides access to various federal lands, including The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreational Area, BLM land, and USFS land. The project is divided into two segments, 3 and 4, respectively. The critical roadway project plans improvements within Segment 3 to include realignment, widening the highway to two 12-foot travel lanes with two 4-foot wide paved shoulders, guardrail replacement, additional rockfall catchment area, new signage, and striping. Proposed improvements within Segment 4 include realignment, widening the highway to two 12-foot travel lanes with two 8-foot wide paved shoulders, new signage, and striping.

TRAFFIC AND RECREATION IMPACTS

Travel impacts for motorists will be consistent throughout the project. For much of the roadwork, motorists should plan for single-lane closures, and full roadway closures reduced speed limits and narrowed roads. Signficant delays are anticipated.