Mesa County Commissioners approved the construction of a new road in the Whitewater area at their meeting on Monday morning. 

The new road, called Hookless Boulevard will connect U.S. Highway 50 with Coffman Road near the Mesa County Animal Services Building. 

As part of the county's master plan, the area between Whitewater and Orchard Mesa is expected to experience a lot of growth in the next twenty years.  Officials say this new road will be an important infrastructure improvement to facilitate that growth.   The area around the road is zoned for industrial development. 

The name "Hookless" comes from a local species of endangered cactus.  The layout of the road is actually set up to work around the native cactus according to officials.  

The construction of the road is expected to cost just over one million dollars.