CDOT and San Miguel County celebrate completion of the Telluride Lawson Hill Parking & Transit Center

The Colorado Department of Transportation recently celebrated the completion of a transit facility built near Telluride. A ribbon cutting event was held, Wednesday, May 29 at the new Telluride Lawson Hill Parking & Transit Center located along CO Highway 145 near Society Turn Business Center, just west of Telluride. CDOT and San Miguel County officials say the center is important for local and regional travelers serving as a stop and transfer station for the local Galloping Goose and SMART (San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation) transit buses as well as Bustang, which provides broader statewide service. “Not only can locals take advantage of this facility and its amenities when they ride the Galloping Goose and SMART buses, but regional travelers will benefit as well,” said CDOT Southwest Regional Transportation Director, Mike McVaugh. “The Bustang Outrider program offers intrastate connections with bus service from Durango all the way to Grand Junction and many stops beyond in between. This will be a pleasant stop for those traveling the Western Slope route.” The new regional transportation center, powered by solar panels, also has 120 paved parking spaces, an electric charging station and restrooms. The construction cost is approximately $1.5 million made available by the State of Colorado through Senate Bill 228 transit funding dollars. The ribbon cutting event was hosted by SMART. Officials with CDOT and local agency partners and project contributors were in attendance including San Miguel County; SMART; Town of Telluride; Telluride Mountain Village; Russell Planning & Engineering; and Stryker & Company Commercial Contractors. To view a video of the event visit CDOT’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/PqKu5AMMAE8.