The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor partner United Companies/APC Southern Construction are advancing a paving project on U.S. Highway 40, on the west side of Berthoud Pass near Winter Park, beginning in early August. The severe freeze-thaw cycle this year has caused significant damage to many of Colorado's roadways, but in particular U.S. 40 Berthoud Pass. After a difficult winter season, CDOT requested and received $25 million of additional funding from the Colorado Transportation Commission to address critical pavement conditions across the state such as permanent repair of potholes.
Since then, the CDOT maintenance team has led a rapid effort to prioritize where dollars were most needed, based on the extensive knowledge that local patrols' plow operators have of the winter damage. They have worked closely with the CDOT engineering team to develop scopes of work for projects too large to execute in-house. Berthoud Pass is the largest project to result from this effort.
"The 2022-2023 winter season was one of the most severe in recent decades," said CDOT Executive Director Lew. "U.S. Highway 40 on the north side of Berthoud Pass, near Winter Park, has experienced badly deteriorating conditions since mid-winter and maintenance crews have been making numerous temporary fixes since the seasonal freeze-thaw cycle began. However, it is important that we invest in more permanent repairs to this viral roadway, which is why this project is a priority for the Department's broader effort to address the impacts of this winter. We appreciate the hard work of the CDOT team to implement interim repairs and identify where more extensive ones were needed."
A 10-mi. section of Berthoud Pass will be milled and paved at a 2-in. depth from Mile Point 233-243, creating a smoother and safer ride for residents, businesses and visitors. Currently, the contracted team is crushing aggregate materials that make up the base for the asphalt that will be used for paving. Major paving operations on U.S. 40 at Berthoud Pass will begin in early August. The project is anticipated to be complete by late October, 2023.
More than 250,000 sq. yds. of milling at a 2-in. depth will occur on the project. These millings will be recycled and incorporated with the newly crushed material into the asphalt mix. More than 30,000 tons of asphalt will be produced for the project. United Companies/APC Southern Construction worked with Grand County to allow additional truck traffic and additional permitting so that enough materials can be transported to the project site.
"CDOT thanks Grand County and contractor partner United Companies/APC Southern Construction for finding a way for more truck traffic to safely travel to and from the Granby gravel pit and the project site," said Region 3 Transportation Director Jason Smith. "The coordination will help the project be completed more quickly."
Colorado saw the second-most number of days with snowfall requiring road treatment, and the statewide snowpack peaked well above annual averages. Remote weather stations on high mountain passes across the state have measured liquid precipitation above 40 in. from October 2022 to May 2023; this equates to roughly 400-to-600 in. or more of snow. In addition to the impressive snowfall amounts, this season's October-to-March period was the coldest since 2010. March 2023 was the fifth consecutive month with below-average temperatures and the coldest March since 1970. Arctic cold outbreaks affected the state in November, December, January and February; and two-day temperature swings in both December and February neared all-time records on the Front Range.
Twelve sections of roadway from across the state will receive part of the $25 million funding, including the U.S. 40 Berthoud Pass area. The projects will be performed either by CDOT maintenance, in accordance with state law, or will be contracted to a private construction firm overseen by CDOT maintenance supervisors.
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