Heading west out of Bayfield on US 160, the first marker that matters is Dry Creek near County Road 223, at mile point 98. From there the highway runs about seven miles to Elmore's Corner, where CO 172 comes in at mile point 91.4. Past Elmore's, the last six miles into Durango, from mile point 92 down to 86 at the Durango High Bridge just north of Walmart, have been a work zone since March 23.
The western six miles are getting close to done. The seven miles nearest Bayfield are next. The Colorado Department of Transportation took contractor proposals for them on October 22, and a full rebuild is scheduled to start in 2027. The winter ahead is a break between two jobs. The second one sits on the part of the drive closest to home.
Where the paving stands as November starts
The current project is an $11.2 million resurfacing by Elam Construction. On CDOT's project page, the timeline still reads March 2026 to November 2026. Crews started at the east end, rebuilding curbs at Elmore's Corner, and have been moving west toward Durango. According to CDOT's March announcement, the job ends with deck repairs and resurfacing on the High Bridge.
The City of Durango's Orange Cone Report for the week of October 26 put milling and paving between Three Springs and Highway 3. The city said that section would take about three weeks. If that estimate holds, paving in that section would wrap up sometime in mid-November. After that comes the stretch toward Walmart and the High Bridge deck work, which CDOT's sequence puts last.
So November is CDOT's stated target, and the remaining work is still listed in front of it. The week-of-October-26 report gave no revised finish date and mentioned no winter shutdown. Until the High Bridge work is reported complete, plan on the work zone lasting through November.
Until then, the rules of the work zone haven't changed. Night work runs Sunday night through Friday morning, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Expect single-lane closures with lane shifts and shoulder closures, delays of up to 15 minutes, and a 45-mph speed limit. The lane shifts and closures stay in place around the clock. A 7:30 a.m. drive into town can still hit the traffic pattern even though the crews have gone home.
What the finished six miles will look like
The resurfacing covers more than new asphalt. It also includes new striping and delineators, new road signs, and replacement guardrail built to 31 inches, which CDOT says meets newer safety standards. New ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps and crosswalks are going in at four intersections:
- CO 172/County Road 234 at Elmore's Corner
- Dominguez Drive
- River Road
- Three Springs Boulevard
The rest of the list is drainage and inlet repairs in the concrete median from south of Home Depot to old Farmington Hill, plus settlement repairs and resurfacing on the Grandview Interchange exit ramps.
Elmore's Corner is where the two projects meet. It is the east end of this year's resurfacing and the west end of next year's rebuild. The new ramps there are part of this job. Within about a year, that same intersection becomes the starting point of the next construction zone.
The stretch closest to Bayfield is next
The US 160 Elmore's East project covers the seven miles a Bayfield commuter drives before reaching this year's work zone, from Elmore's Corner at mile point 91.4 to Dry Creek near County Road 223 at mile point 98. CDOT puts the total cost at about $100 million, roughly nine times the budget of the resurfacing now finishing to the west.
The plans on CDOT's Elmore's East page call for:
- A four-lane highway with added dedicated left-turn lanes
- Intersection improvements at County Road 225 and US 160, around mile point 94
- Two wildlife underpasses, a bridge replacement, and fencing on both sides of the highway
- As many alternating passing lanes as possible between County Road 225 and Dry Creek, mile points 94 to 98
Laid side by side, the two projects split the commute like this:
| Segment | Mile points | Project | Scope | Timing per CDOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durango High Bridge to Elmore's Corner | 86 to 92 | US 160 Resurfacing | New surface, guardrail, signs, ADA ramps | March to November 2026 |
| Elmore's Corner to County Road 225 | 91.4 to about 94 | Elmore's East | Four lanes, left-turn lanes, CR 225 intersection | Construction begins spring/summer 2027 |
| County Road 225 to Dry Creek near CR 223 | 94 to 98 | Elmore's East | Four lanes, alternating passing lanes, wildlife underpasses | Construction begins spring/summer 2027 |
The resurfacing renews a road that already exists. Elmore's East changes the road itself: more lanes, a reworked intersection at County Road 225, and structures under the highway for wildlife. That is a longer job on the miles nearest Bayfield.
The calendar between now and the first shovel
CDOT published the procurement schedule for Elmore's East, and several steps are already done.
- January 8, 2026: Statements of qualifications due from interested contractors.
- March 9, 2026: Short-listed teams notified.
- June 16, 2026: Final request for proposals issued. Addendum documents went up on September 11, 2026.
- October 22, 2026: Proposals due.
- Summer/fall 2026: Notice of award. As of late October, the project page didn't name a contractor.
- Winter 2026-27: Notice to proceed.
- Spring 2027: Public meeting.
- Spring/summer 2027: Construction begins.
The public meeting comes after the contractor is chosen and before crews mobilize. On the current schedule, that spring 2027 meeting is the next chance to see how traffic will be handled through the seven miles during construction. The last public meeting listed on the project page was a roundabout meeting on October 12, 2023. The current project description refers more generally to improvements at the County Road 225 intersection, so watch the spring meeting for the final design there.
Keeping track this winter
Once the High Bridge work wraps up, CDOT's schedule shows a gap of a few months before construction moves east of Elmore's. Three sources cover both projects, so the next change in the traffic pattern shouldn't catch anyone off guard:
- COtrip: CDOT's project page links to a COtrip map that shows current lane closures and construction by mile point.
- The Orange Cone Report: The City of Durango posts it weekly, and you can get it by email by signing up for "City of Durango News Flash" through the city's NotifyMe system. It's how the October 26 paving update reached the public.
- The project hotline: CDOT lists 970-456-1481 for questions about the resurfacing.
For Elmore's East, check the project page itself. The award notice, the notice to proceed, and the spring 2027 public meeting date will all be posted there.
Highway work changes how buyers judge a drive. A smoother road between Elmore's Corner and the High Bridge this winter, followed by a four-lane rebuild east of Elmore's starting in 2027, affects how a Bayfield home's commute comes across in a showing. If you're thinking about listing in the next year or so, Jeremiah Aukerman can tell you how the construction calendar lines up with your timing and what your home is likely worth today. Start with a free home valuation.
