6700 Road Extension

Project Timeline

• Project Award: February 2023
• Estimated Completion Date: November 2023

Project Team

• Project Designer and Surveyor: Del-Mont Consultants (Montrose, CO)
• Construction Contractor: Williams Construction

Project Costs

• Design Cost: $110k
• Construction Contract: $4.4M
• Survey/Construction Support Contract: $135k
• Utility Relocations and Flashing Signs: $75k

Project Overview

The City of Montrose Comprehensive Plan calls for the completion of 6700 Road as a minor arterial where currently missing between Sunnyside and Miami Roads (see accompanying excerpt). This project has remained a high-priority capital project due to continued traffic growth in the area; however, until recently, the city did not own all of the rights of way necessary to complete this missing link. With the right of way secured in the summer of 2022, the project could then move forward.

The project design includes through lanes in each direction, a center turn lane, bike lanes in each direction, and detached sidewalks on each side. This is the same template as that constructed on the South Hillcrest Extension (2018) and East Oak Grove Widening (2014) Projects. Upon completion, it is anticipated that traffic volumes on 6700 will be much higher than on the side streets (Sunnyside and Miami).  As a result, 6700 Road will be given the through priority with stop signs controlling the side streets. Neither intersection met industry standard warrants for the implementation of a four-way stop. Longer term, as buildout continues in the area and traffic volumes grow on these sidestreets, this would transition to a four-way stop and eventually to a roundabout. It should be noted that volume thresholds to warrant roundabout intersections are likely at least 15 to 20+ years out. 

Project Schedule and Traffic Control

The construction project is scheduled to extend into November 2023. Most work will take place between Sunnyside and Miami Roads, outside of the existing roadways; however, some utility and roadway reconstruction work will be necessary at the intersections of 6700 with Miami and Sunnyside Roads. When these closures are required, they will maintain access to local driveways immediately adjacent to the work area but will detour traffic around to the nearest minor arterials as shown in the traffic control overview drawing. It should be noted that the contractor will only be allowed to close one intersection at a time in order to avoid excessive detour lengths and to avoid overwhelming the capacity of detour routes.