Pitkin County will be doing extensive work on Lower River Road this summer beginning 7/7/25.  This what we know at this time:

• 7/7/25 is the official starting date of the project. 9/24/25 is the official ending date. The work will be done by Frontier Paving.
• 25 new culverts will be placed under the road to control erosion.
• The road lanes will be widened to 10 feet through the extent of the road from the intersection with Gerbaz to  the intersection with Highway 82 at the old Conoco.
• ADA compliant curb ramps will be installed at all the Rio Grande trail crossings
• Five utility poles will be moved and 12 overhanging trees will be removed.  
• The road will be raised by 1.2 feet in front of Phillips trailer park in the area of its RFTA bus stop. 
• The initial plan is that traffic on Lower River Road will be one way, alternating, at various spots during the initial culvert work and that during the repaving it will be closed for up to a mile at a stretch for short periods, at any one point for up to fifteen minutes.  The repaving is expected to go fairly quickly.  Additionally, Lower River Road will be closed at the intersection of SH82 for 1 to 2-days while milling and paving at the intersection. Lower River Road will also be closed to thru traffic during work-hours from 9am to 5pm for approximately 5-days while a portion of the road is rebuilt about 1.0-mile from the intersection of SH82. Residents will need to plan to drive out in the non closed direction, depending on where they live.
• The county will place a road construction ahead sign at the interaction with highway 82 to discourage commuting traffic during the project.