Work continues on Orchard Avenue safety improvements

Work continues on the E ½ Road construction project near Long Family Memorial Park. This is part of the Orchard Avenue Safety and Connectivity Project, which will improve safety, drainage and connectivity along a key transportation corridor in Mesa County.

Crews have removed the old bridge over Lewis Wash and are replacing culverts and other aging drainage infrastructure. The new bridge structure will be wider, with sidewalks on both sides of the road, where there were previously none. 

“We've kept access open for all the schools and locals. We have gotten some complaints about the detour, but the area is closed off, so there's not much we can do about that without the bridge being in place,” said Mesa County Construction Group Manager Josh Springer.

Other work on the project includes stormwater and sewer installation. E ½ Road from Hoover Court to Warrior Way is scheduled to open this winter, with construction to be fully completed in the spring.

The Orchard Avenue Safety and Connectivity Project is a multi-phase effort to improve safety, accessibility and mobility along the corridor.

Phase II improves the corridor headed west to 29 ½ Road.

State and federal grants, including the Colorado Department of Transportation's Revitalizing Main Street Grant and the Federal Highway Administration BUILD Grant, are helping fund the improvements.