GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced a plan Tuesday to repair a section of U.S. Highway 50 over Blue Mesa Reservoir in Montrose, Gunnison and Hinsdale counties.
The plan will focus repairs in four areas that pose an "imminent" risk to structural integrity, according to CDOT. The goal of Phase 1 repairs will be to safely expedite emergency vehicles and lighter loads on the bridge until permanent repairs are made, CDOT said.
Completion of Phase 1 will be dependent on critical factors including weather. CDOT's goal is to allow limited vehicle traffic on the bridge by July 4.
Phase 2 will require more time to complete and will be done in between traffic openings on the bridge. Once permanent repairs are made, full traffic loads will be allowed back on the bridge, CDOT said. This is planned to happen sometime in the fall.
Current traffic impacts:
- U.S. 50 is closed between Montrose and Gunnison.
- Recommended alternate routes are Interstate 70 to the north or U.S. 160 to the south.
- A limited, local access route is in place for travel in place. Up-to-date travel times are posted here and on the Gunnison County bridge closure page. No public travel will be allowed outside of the times posted.
- No oversize/overweight vehicles, per CDOT regulations.
- No placarded hazardous materials loads, per CDOT regulations.
- Prohibited vehicles will need to use detours on I-70 or U.S. 160 to travel between Gunnison and Montrose.
For further information and updates:
- Call (970) 648-4423 for the U.S. 50 bridge closure hotline, staffed 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Leave a voicemail for a call back at other times.
- Email questions to us50bridge@gmail.com
- Gunnison County will provide updates on their website and on Facebook.
- Sign up for email updates on all Gunnison County roadwork messaging and select what updates you’d like to start receiving. For road updates, select Travel Advisories from the List.
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