La Plata County road crews are widening the outward shoulder of Lightner Creek Road (County Road 207) to install a guardrail where a school bus carrying 42 elementary school children rolled down a 30- to 40-foot embankment last month.
Crews have been working since Tuesday to widen the shoulder about 5 feet on a 300-foot stretch of the roadway’s left, northbound lane.
Project supervisor Gerard Gurule said the widening will be complete Thursday, and the road surface is not likely to change. The crew did not know when the guardrail would be installed, and the county engineering department did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Gurule said the guardrail is going in specifically because of the Nov. 17 rollover of a Durango School District 9-R school bus, whose driver was apparently distracted by noise when he veered off the road. Several students reportedly suffered injuries, including a broken leg and broken clavicle.
After the accident, school and law enforcement officials noted the narrowness of the road, which is about 9 feet wide.
Traffic was slowed around the work area on Thursday, but the road remained open.
jpace@durangoherald.com
