Feds release $6.5M for flood road repairs

Drivers in southern Colorado will see repair crews working on three major highways starting this week. The Federal Highway Administration approved $6.5 million in emergency funds on Friday to address damage from last week's floods. This money is intended to restore roadway capacity before winter weather makes construction difficult.

The Colorado Department of Transportation requested this amount earlier in the week. It represents 10% of the $65 million in estimated damage to U.S. 160, U.S. 550, and Colorado 151. State officials said the funds will go toward clearing debris and repaving roads immediately.

Colorado's Transportation Commission also approved $5 million in state emergency funds for the same routes. Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement that resources are already on the ground working around the clock. He noted that the new federal funding allows crews to start clearing work right away.

The flood damage remains substantial. Between Oct. 22 and Oct. 25, up to 7 inches of rain fell in the region. This caused flooding that topped four feet on some roadways. As of earlier this week, Archuleta County officials reported that roughly a quarter of local roads were still impassable.

Specific damage is visible on key routes. Colorado 151 remained closed in both directions southwest of Pagosa Springs as of Saturday morning. Floodwaters destroyed two sections of the highway south of the U.S. 160 junction. U.S. 160 used alternating one-way traffic between Oak Ridge Drive and Archuleta County Road 139, as well as between Forest Service Road 667 and Rio Grande County Road 20.

State transportation officials identified a failed culvert and a damaged retaining wall on U.S. 160 between Pagosa Springs and South Fork. They also noted that the Rio Grande River undercut part of the road. CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew called restoring these critical routes imperative, given the challenging mountain terrain.

The National Weather Service expects a weekend storm to bring heavy rain, snow, and more flooding to the area. Archuleta County officials have urged residents to evacuate ahead of the storm. CDOT expects to provide a more accurate cost estimate in eight to 10 weeks, once high water recedes and crews can fully inspect bridges.