Lamar Climbing Lanes CDOT

This Colorado Department of Transportation project was located approximately 25 miles south of Lamar Colorado on US287 from mileposts 52 to 59 in Prowers County. CDOT successfully applied for and was awarded Federal safety funding to add additional lanes onto the northbound side of the heavy truck traffic highway. These lanes not only expedite traffic around slower moving trucks but increase the safety of that traffic that might be trying to pass those trucks on the existing two lane highway.

The widening areas are in the vicinity of Gobblers Knob, a local landmark. Interestingly, CRCC and CDOT built the Design Build Project that upgraded US287 that these lanes widen in 1999. At that time the highway was a deteriorating asphalt roadway in need of repair. The roadway was overlaid on that project with 11” concrete pavement and widened in some areas. A rest stop at the top of Gobblers was also a part of the original job.

In 2019, CRCC was the low bidder on the project to add more widened areas. This project involved the removal of the northbound 10’ wide shoulder, adding 18,000 cy of embankment for the widening, minor drainage pipe extensions, laying roadbase and placing 11” concrete pavement in two different areas. The width of the widening varied from 20’ to 22’.

CRCC forces not only removed the existing paving but crushed it to make the required roadbase for the project. This process negates the truck trips that would be required to remove the rubble material from the project but also the trips needed to bring the base material back into the project. This is a significant step toward minimizing the fuel burnt to build the project which in turn minimizes the pollutants released to the atmosphere as well as maximizing public safety, both goals that CRCC works toward.

CRCC crews utilized our mid-sized paving equipment as well as one of our portable concrete batch plants on site, again minimizing the truck traffic delivering material to the project. The dirt borrow site and plantsite were in the same locations as used on the 1999 project, CRCC takes pride in the fact that we leave behind good relationships after projects are completed.

Special thanks are given to the CDOT team on the project led by Project Engineer Troy Branom, who managed the project in a professional and fair manner.