Repairs to the closed US 50 Blue Mesa Middle Bridge between Gunnison and Montrose will allow a limited opening during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Colorado Department of Transportation officials opened a single lane at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday for smaller vehicles including passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, vans, motorcycles and emergency vehicles which can cross over the bridge escorted by pilot cars that will lead single-direction traffic at slow speeds between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. through Sunday, July 7.
Larger vehicles including RV/campers, motorhomes, trucks pulling trailers (boats, campers, side by sides), semi-trucks, and buses are required to always use the County Road 26 detour.
This detour route is open for seven releases in each direction every day except Wednesdays when there are five releases in each direction. Each Wednesday there is a midday closure to allow crews to safely make repairs to the road, when staff and materials are available.
After the long holiday weekend, beginning Monday, July 8, the bridge will be open, and pilot cars will lead single direction traffic each day from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
County Road 26 will remain open and maintained as a detour, and Kebler Pass is now open as well, as a seasonal route. Kebler Pass restrictions include no vehicles over 30,000 pounds, no vehicles longer than 50 feet and no hazardous materials.
Drivers should use Interstate 70 and US Highway 160 instead of County Road 26 if possible.
“CDOT anticipates delivering on our goal of opening the Blue Mesa Middle Bridge to limited traffic ahead of July 4,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “We continue to work towards completing needed repairs ahead of winter.”
Traffic going towards Gunnison from Montrose eastbound on US 50 will be stopped at the County Road 26 a half-mile west of the bridge, where vehicles will be sorted as to which can cross the bridge and which will have to take the detour.
Westbound traffic coming from Gunnison will see signage indicating when the bridge will be open for lightweight vehicles.
Those wishing to recreate along the north shore of the reservoir as well as small vehicles allowed to cross the bridge can proceed past the CO 149 and US 50 intersection near the east end of the reservoir. Heavier vehicles will have to take CO 149 to the County Road 26 detour. After 6:30 p.m., all through traffic will be diverted to the detour.
Starting on July 8, there will be a twice-a-day opening schedule to allow crews to continue to work on repairs throughout the day.
Crews have completed the first stage of critical repairs on the bottom flange, the horizontal part of a l-shaped beam, of the US 50 Middle Bridge. This first phase of the repair process addressed areas that posed an imminent risk to structural integrity.
Each plate location’s assembly is about 23 feet long, 2½ feet wide and 2½ inches thick, weighing approximately 9,000 pounds. More than 200 bolts were needed to secure each plate in place, according to CDOT.
A hotline and email address continue to be available to assist customers with questions about the local access route and US 50 bridge closure. Anyone with questions can reach out via 970-648-4423 or us50bridge@gmail.com. Calls are closely monitored and receive a prompt reply. Information is also available on the project website at bit.ly/us50bridge. Travelers should refer to COtrip.org or the smartphone COtrip Planner app to plan an alternate route.
Most Popular
Comments / 0