GUNNISON, Colo. — Inspectors don't yet know the extent of damage to a bridge on U.S. Highway 50, when repairs might begin or how long local residents will have to wait to regain use of this critical route between Gunnison and Montrose, transportation officials said on Friday morning.
The Colorado Department of Transportation immediately shut down the bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir on Thursday after a routine inspection found a crack in the bridge's steel girders. CDOT closed U.S. 50 between mile posts 131 and 148. Only local traffic is allowed through the closure point to reach residences, and no one is allowed to cross the bridge.
U.S. 50 is a heavily used road for residents, travelers and emergency services and averages 3,100 trips per day. Detours around the closure are more than 300 miles long. CDOT said a local detour could be available as early as Monday, depending on road work and conditions.
The routine inspection on the bridge was required because bridges across the U.S. with similar 1960s-era steel fabrication have known issues, CDOT said. There are only two bridges in Colorado, two miles apart from each other, that use that type of steel, CDOT officials said.
A crack near the midpoint of the bridge, which was built in 1963, was first observed during an inspection last week. A more thorough inspection found the visible crack extended 3 to 4 inches, but ultrasonic testing on Thursday showed the crack extended through the steel.
As of Friday morning, inspectors were unable to do further analysis due to safety concerns with going onto the bridge, so CDOT officials said they didn't know whether the bridge has more cracks. They won't be able to say what repairs will be necessary or when the bridge might reopen until after their analysis is complete.
CDOT said more updates will come over the next few days.
CDOT recommended alternate routes:
This closure creates a significant detour for travelers between Montrose and Gunnison.
- The recommended detour route for through traffic is via Interstate 70 to the north or US 160 to the south. CDOT said it understands the inconvenience that this creates and is rapidly evaluating options to improve options for residents, businesses, and travelers on the Western Slope.
- The northern route is 354 miles and requires approximately six hours of travel.
- The southern route is 331 miles and requires nearly seven hours of travel. CDOT and local partners are exploring if it is feasible to clear local seasonal routes that may be able to help reduce the detour time for local travelers.
A hotline and email have been set up to help people who have questions about the closure. Anyone with questions can reach out by calling 970-648-4423 or by emailing us50bridge@gmail.com. You can also get information on the project website.
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