For Release: Immediate
Contact: Tessy Shirakawa
Phone: 970-529-4628

Road Construction on Mesa Verde’s Park Roads

Park Superintendent Larry T. Wiese announced that a contract has been signed with the Federal Highways Administration to upgrade 10 miles of the park road from Park Point to the 4-way stop at Park Headquarters. This project will also include rebuilding the full length of the 11 mile long Wetherill Mesa road. Delays can be expected on the main park road for up to 15 minutes, south and northbound.

The main park road surface will be pulverized and the pavement millings will be hauled to the Wetherill Mesa road and used for the new road bed. Once the pavement on the main road is removed, an asphalt foam-injection process will be used to stabilize the existing roadway, followed by 2 layers of asphalt paving. After the pavement is complete, the road will be striped, and road signs and guard rails will be replaced.

The entire length of Wetherill Mesa road will be pulverized along with the pavement millings from the main road. The surface will be recontoured then two layers of chip seal will be applied for the final finish. Drainage structures will be improved as well as many of the supers on the sharp turns.

There will be many construction vehicles on the road hauling materials back and forth from the park entrance to the construction sites. Vehicles will encounter rough and uneven road surfaces in construction areas. Construction will be in full swing beginning April 24 th. A pilot car will lead traffic through construction sites. Caution is advised at all times.

Construction on the main park road will continue through late fall 2007. The Wetherill Road should be completed by the end of May 2007.

For additional information call Frank Cope, Facility Manager at 970-529-4607.

~ NPS ~