Goodbye Farmington Hill, Hello New Roundabouts: US 550 & 160

Friday, July 12, 2024 at 2:05 PM

The long-awaiting opening of the new interchange between US 550 and US 160 outside Durango will happen Sunday, July 14, 2024. The old route on "Farmington Hill" will be closed.

From C-DOT

Thursday, July 11, 2024

The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor Lawrence Construction will open the new US Highway 550 alignment to traffic on Sunday, July 14. On that day, all north and southbound traffic will be shifted onto the new four-lane divided highway between County Road 302 and the US 160 and US 550 Grandview interchange, east of Durango.
“The commute to and from Durango will be a bit of a change for motorists, especially those who would normally take Farmington Hill,” Regional
Transportation Director Julie Constan said. “As motorists learn to navigate the new interchange alignment, we urge them to allow adequate travel time, slow down and pay attention to signage.”

Motorists will be traveling on the brand new roadway of two 12-foot-wide travel lanes and over two new bridges located south of the interchange.
Roundabouts are located on either side of the Grandview bridge; including the existing Wilson Gulch roundabout to the north and the new Grandview roundabout to the south. This traffic switch will involve the closing of the existing route of “Farmington Hill,” sending motorists instead through the Grandview interchange. Soon after, the signal at the Farmington Hill intersection will be removed and the old highway will be removed and re-vegetated.

Traffic Switch Impacts

Beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, July 14, motorists will encounter the following travel impacts and traffic pattern changes:

US 550 northbound - use the interchange to go east or west on US 160
Expect traffic slowing with flagging crews as barrels are moved throughout the day to accommodate the mobile operation of shifting lanes and removing striping to accommodate the traffic shift north of CR 302. Intermittent stops will occur as well The existing US 550 alignment of Farmington Hill will be closed; motorists will continue on the new northbound lanes to the new Grandview roundabout and into the Grandview interchange
Follow signs to continue east or west on US 160, or onto Wilson Gulch Road to the hospital or Three Springs community

US 550 southbound towards New Mexico - use the interchange to access US 550 south
Farmington Hill will be closed and the traffic signal inactive

Eastbound motorists will continue east past the old Farmington Hill signal and use the off-ramp onto the interchange, travel
through the new roundabouts, then south on US 550

Westbound motorists will need to be in the right lane and be prepared to take the off-ramp, west of Three Springs Boulevard,
to access the interchange, travel through the new roundabouts, then south on US 550

US 160 east and westbound - through traffic between Durango and Bayfield
The only change these travelers will notice is the signal at the
base of Farmington Hill will be inactive (and eventually removed)

More from Local News

AirCare adds Second Airplane

AirCare 3 is a Pilatus PC-12 Legacy. It joins AirCare 1, a Bell 429 twin engine helicopter, and AirCare 2, a Pilatus PC-12 NGX, all owned by San Juan Regional Medical Center and operated by Air Methods.
San Juan County Celebrates New Extension Office

The San Juan County Extension Service Building project is one of 14 projects funded by $13 million recovered in New Mexico’s 2022 settlements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA contractors, and mining defendants for injuries to natural resources resulting from the August 2015 Gold King Mine blowout.
2024 Election: San Juan County Contested Races

These are the unofficial election results from voting on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 of the contested races in San Juan County, NM.
Local Freight Rail to receive up to $4 Million more for project

The (Four Corners Freight Rail) project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing resilience and improving system and service performance, as the project will provide a viable freight transportation modal alternative to highway trucking, opportunities to simplify the supply chain, and enable new, rail-dependent economic development opportunities thereby imparting benefits to the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities.
Teen Boy Fatally Stabbed, Mother Beaten, Juvenile Suspect Arrested

The victim is a 12-year old boy who died of apparent stab wounds. A second victim, believed to be the suspect’s mother, sustained injuries from a blunt object attack and is being treated at CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital in Durango. The names of the victims are being withheld as the investigation is ongoing. The incident was reported by a motorist who was involved in a single vehicle accident shortly after 7 a.m., believed to have been caused by the suspect as he fled the residence on Snowy Peaks Way. Deputies discovered the scene when they arrived to investigate the accident.
Woman & Bystander Fatally Shot in Farmington

Andrew Wittenberg has been charged with aggravated burglary, larceny of a firearm, two counts of first-degree murder, and tampering with evidence. The investigation is still ongoing, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.