MONARCH PASS, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) began chain up station improvements on Monarch Pass on May 17. The project includes various chain station locations on U.S. 50 between mile points 189 and 211 in Chaffee, Gunnison, and Saguache counties.
“CDOT places a high priority on highway projects that help our commercial trucks roll smoothly along key corridors like U.S. 50,” said Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT. “It is critical that trucks chain up in winter storm events when Colorado’s chain law is enforced. Chain up stations provide a safe place for drivers to fit snow chains onto (or off) their truck tires.”
All chain up stations will have new lighting installed; some locations will be equipped with solar-powered lighting. Five locations will have widening and paving improvements, and two culverts will be replaced for drainage upgrades. Tricon 2 LLC has been selected for this project, and work is expected to be completed this fall.
“We appreciate and welcome the Monarch Pass chain station improvements by CDOT. These sites make it safer for truck drivers to comply with the law and apply chains during icy and snow-packed conditions,” said Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA). “It’s a great benefit to the trucking industry to have a safe, well-lit environment for drivers to pull off the roadway, get out of their vehicles and safely put chains on tires or remove chains from tires.”
Between now and the completion of the project, travelers will encounter construction operations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Traffic control and temporary signals will be operating 24/7, with one lane-closures at project work zones. Motorists are urged to use caution and watch for heavy equipment. At times, through lanes and turn lanes may be temporarily closed to traffic, causing brief travel delays. Any temporary closures are to ensure the safety of the workers and the traveling public. Motorists should slow down, drive with caution and give themselves extra travel time.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
