College Drive & East 8th Avenue Safety Improvements

Owner: City of Durango

Location: Durango, Colorado

Start Date: Spring 2025

Completion Date: Summer 2026

Contractor: Four Corners Materials

Materials & Quantities:

• 2,900 tons of Hot Mix Asphalt
• 1,200 tons of aggregate materials
• 227.5 cubic yards of concrete

Project Description:

The College Drive and East 8th Avenue Safety Improvements Project was designed to improve safety, accessibility and mobility for all roadway users in Durango. The project focused on College Drive from East 3rd Avenue to East 8th Avenue and East 8th Avenue from 2nd Street to College Drive, supporting the City of Durango’s vision of creating a transportation corridor that better accommodates motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and transit users.

Four Corners Materials began in June 2025 and endured a winter shutdown before resuming in April 2026. By July, the roadway, intersection and pedestrian improvements were complete, including concrete replacement at 10 intersections, new traffic signals, electrical upgrades for pedestrian crossings, and milling and paving throughout the corridor.

Four Corners Materials supplied approximately 2,900 tons of hot mix asphalt, 1,200 tons of aggregate materials and more than 227 cubic yards of concrete as part of the project.

Throughout construction, the City of Durango expressed appreciation for Four Corners Materials’ partnership, citing the team’s high-quality workmanship, professionalism and collaborative approach. City representatives specifically noted that Four Corners Materials employees were excellent to work with and consistently delivered quality results.

The overall project focused on improving safety, accessibility and mobility along College Drive from East 3rd Avenue to East 8th Avenue and East 8th Avenue from 2nd Street to College Drive. Improvements included a lane reconfiguration from four lanes to three, buffered bike lanes, sidewalk and curb ramp improvements, a pedestrian refuge island, bus stop improvements and traffic signal upgrades.

Environmental stewardship was also an important component of the work. During excavation activities associated with sidewalk, curb and gutter replacement, a local environmental firm evaluated excavated materials at several locations. Contaminated material identified during testing was removed and replaced with clean material to ensure environmental compliance and protect the surrounding area.

The spring and summer planting window was missed during construction, so the remaining tree plantings were completed in October 2026, marking final project completion. Through these improvements, Four Corners Materials is helping build a safer, more connected community for years to come.