"If we were to stop and redesign the infrastructure now, we would be putting off fixing Florida Road by several years," La Plata County Commissioner Elizabeth Philbrick told The Durango Herald in an interview published October 1. She was explaining why County Road 240 is getting new asphalt and painted bicycle symbols this fall but no bike lanes. Her reason applies to most of the corridor above Edgemont Highlands. The public owns a thin strip of Florida Road and the land around it, and almost every change this season, from the shoulder width to the boat rules on Lemon Reservoir, follows from that.
The city stretch is done, and the county stretch is next
The in-town section of Florida Road has already been repaved. The City of Durango milled and paved Florida Road between 3rd Avenue and the Chapman Hill roundabout from July 6 to July 13 as part of its Pavement Preservation Project. Past the city limits, the road belongs to La Plata County, and that section is the one coming up.
The county says it has scheduled and budgeted the resurfacing. As of the Herald's October 1 report, it had issued a request for proposals for a project "slated to begin later this fall." As of October 5, the county has not published a contractor, start date, segment limits, or flagging hours. The Road & Bridge Department's construction updates page lists only CR 500 work right now. Formal bid documents go through the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System, not the county website. If your commute uses CR 240, keep an eye on the county's Road & Bridge page over the next several weeks.
Why the answer turned out to be paint
The Herald reported that more than 50 resident emails reached county commissioners over several weeks this fall. Peter Bradley, a bike commuter who lives just off Florida Road, started the campaign with a flyer whose QR code let residents email commissioners directly. He wasn't asking for a capital project. He proposed more signage, lower speed limits, adjusted striping, or moving a foot of width from the downhill shoulder to the uphill one so climbing riders get more room.
The county first said no. Philbrick wrote that the ideas didn't match state road safety standards or engineers' recommendations, and that making changes on the fly was a risk the county wouldn't take. County spokesperson Emily Spencer suggested a public awareness campaign about cyclists' legal rights, including riding three abreast and taking the lane. Bradley said that's impractical because cars and bikes travel at such different speeds.
Commissioners then reached a smaller decision. At last week's meeting, as the Herald reported on October 1, they approved painted bicycle symbols on Florida Road, and Philbrick said the cost was small enough that it wouldn't affect the budget. The numbers show why paint was possible and lanes weren't. Philbrick said resurfacing can cost up to $1 million per mile, and the double yellow centerline alone runs $9,000 to $11,000 per mile. Bike lanes would also need land the county doesn't have. Philbrick said the county owns little of the easement on either side of Florida Road leaving Durango, so widening it would mean working with private landowners to build onto their property.
"Doing something is great because a lot of people reached out, and I think they're legitimately hamstrung by budgetary constraints." Peter Bradley, to The Durango Herald
The issue isn't closed. Philbrick and Bradley have started talking about a future policy for bike safety signage along the road, and Philbrick told the Herald, "I think we should be considering bicycle infrastructure as we go forward."
Upstream, the public strip gets thinner
The easement problem doesn't end where the pavement does. Farther up the drainage, the San Juan National Forest describes the Florida River as known for rainbow and brown trout but warns that it "runs through much private land," so anglers need to watch for trespassing. The public access points are specific places with specific seasons, and October is when they start closing.
As of the Forest Service pages updated September 24, both Miller Creek Campground on Lemon Reservoir and Florida Campground north of the reservoir are marked "Site Closed." Transfer Park Campground, about a mile past Florida Campground on 11 acres above the river, stays open longest. The Forest Service's September 25 release says it remains open until November 15, but since September 27 there's no water and only one loop is available. The Burnt Timber Trail, No. 667, starts at Transfer Park.
| Up-canyon access | Status or listed date | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Miller Creek Campground | Marked "Site Closed" | Forest Service page, updated Sept. 24 |
| Florida Campground | Marked "Site Closed" | Forest Service page, updated Sept. 24 |
| Transfer Park Campground | Open through Nov. 15, one loop, no water | Forest Service release, Sept. 25 |
| Burnt Timber Road, FR 595 | Closes 11/30, weather dependent | Columbine District table, as of June 1 |
| East Florida Road, FR 596 | Closes 12/31, weather dependent | Columbine District table, as of June 1 |
Treat the forest road dates as estimates. The Columbine Ranger District table is labeled "As of June 1, 2026," every closure date in it depends on weather, and the Forest Service notes that "any road can be blocked by downed trees or snow at any time." The Upper Lemon Day Use Area is a fishing access site with a parking lot and restrooms, 1.5 miles north of Miller Creek. Its Forest Service listing doesn't give separate seasonal dates, so a closed campground nearby doesn't tell you the day-use lot is closed too.
What can still go on Lemon Reservoir
Lemon follows its own rule about access. Forest Order 02-13-08-25-06 prohibits entering the reservoir with any "vessel or other floating device," a term that covers motors, trailers, and associated equipment or containers that could reasonably be expected to hold or have contacted water. The aim is to keep out aquatic nuisance species, including zebra and quagga mussels. The order runs from June 30, 2025, through June 30, 2030, unless it's rescinded. Miller Creek's concrete boat ramp still exists, but the order sets what can launch there.
These hand-launched craft are exempt:
- Rafts, kayaks, and canoes
- Belly boats, float tubes, and inner tubes
- Paddle boards, sailboards, and windsurfer boards
- Folding plastic boats and rowing shells
The water is low going into fall. The order defines the reservoir's high watermark as 8,150 feet. On the evening of October 5, the USGS gauge read 8,115.46 feet, about 35 feet below that line, though up from 8,112.12 feet on October 1. These readings are provisional. Expect more exposed shoreline when you put in. The river was also low. Duranglers' report updated September 2 listed the Florida at 9 cfs above Lemon and 10 cfs below. It recommended attractor or terrestrial dries above the reservoir and said fishing below the dam would be tough after flows were dropped.
The in-town end of the road
At the city end of the corridor, the Smiley Cafe in the historic Smiley Building at 1309 East Third Ave. is now Blue Wing Coffee. Bonnie Boggiano and her parents took over in early January, after six years under former owner Grant Andrew. In April, Boggiano told the Herald she wanted to bring in musicians and was considering staying open as late as 8 or 9 p.m. That report is from spring, so check current hours before planning an evening around it.
Between the café and Transfer Park, the county will repave CR 240 at the width the existing easement allows, with bicycle symbols painted on, sometime later this fall on a schedule it hasn't posted yet.
On Florida Road, how far a property's edge reaches into a county easement and how much frontage it has can matter as much as the view. If you want to know how that applies to a specific address in Edgemont Highlands or Edgemont Ranch, the Jamie Novak Group can help you sort through the maps and records. Schedule your concierge consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
