When Steamboat Springs residents return from their spring break and mud season vacations, they will likely be met by more and more construction cones.

Construction crews have already taken advantage of weeks of warm, dry weather to get a jumpstart on downtown improvement projects.

A new sidewalk and improved streetscapes at Eighth and Oak streets are already starting to take shape, and a portion of Yampa Street between Sixth and Seventh streets is currently closed for construction.

The biggest, most impactful project is starting soon.

Commuters entering Steamboat via U.S. Highway 40 from Craig and Hayden might be most impacted by a combination of road paving and intersection work that is scheduled to begin ramping up on the west side of town in early May.

Crews will be paving a six-mile stretch of U.S. 40 betweeb Shield Drive to the Elk River Bridge.

The work will begin west and make its way closer to town.

The paving will be done in conjunction with a big overhaul of the intersection of U.S. 40 and Elk River Road.

The project will widen that intersection to accommodate a future expansion to a four-lane highway in the area.

Drivers who are getting tired of waiting a whole light cycle to turn left onto the highway at the intersection will see their wait times reduced when the new traffic signal does away with the “split phasing.”

The project also adds dual turn lanes heading eastbound from Elk River Road onto U.S. 40.

Three lanes will then merge into one before Curve Court.

Colorado Department of Transportation resident engineer Clint Moyer said morning commuters should be spared from any lengthy delays at the intersection, because part of the work contract stipulates that traffic flows should not be interrupted during the morning rush hour.

However, the highway paving is likely to increase commute times.

“They may hit some delays coming into town,” Moyer said.

Moyer said CDOT and the city will provide weekly construction updates.

Steamboat Today will publish regular construction updates letting driver’s know what to expect.

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10