GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. — The bridge that crosses Blue Mesa Reservoir reopened Wednesday morning with a limited capacity, ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said.
Members of CDOT’s team greeted the first drivers waiting to cross the US 50 Middle Bridge and provided refreshments and cookies to those lined up at the closure points as a show of appreciation.
The bridge has been closed to all vehicles since April after inspections showed "cracking," leading to safety concerns. It officially reponed at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday after the first phase of repairs was completed. That means emergency vehicles and smaller vehicles can cross over the bridge.
For those wishing to view the fireworks in Gunnison on July 4, the bridge will remain open until midnight in a pilot car configuration. County Road 26 will remain open and maintained as a detour, and Kebler Pass is now open as well, as a seasonal route.
Through July 7, one lane will be open on the bridge, and pilot cars, at slow speeds, will lead single-direction traffic between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The only exception is the extended hours on July 4.
Beginning July 8, the bridge will be open, and pilot cars will lead single-direction traffic daily between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The following vehicles are approved to cross the bridge:
- Passenger vehicles
- Pickup trucks
- Vans
- Motorcycles
- Emergency vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks
The vehicles below are required to utilize County Road 26 detour:
- RV/Campers
- Motorhomes
- Trucks pulling trailers (boats, campers, side by sides)
- Semi-trucks
- Buses
Eastbound US 50 Montrose to Gunnison
Eastbound US 50 traffic (going toward Gunnison) will be stopped at the County Road 26 turnoff that is the current detour location. This stopping point is 0.5 mile west of the Middle Bridge. At this stop, traffic will be separated by which vehicles are allowed over the Middle Bridge and which vehicles have to take the County Road 26 detour.
Westbound US 50 Gunnison to Montrose
Vehicles traveling westbound on US 50 (going toward Montrose) will see signage during the passage times at the CO 149 and US 50 intersection, which will allow traffic that meets the restriction criteria (see below for more details on allowable vehicles) to proceed on US 50 to the crossing point along with traffic that wish to camp/fish/recreate along the north shore of the reservoir. All other vehicles that do not meet the restriction criteria will need to continue on CO 149 to the County Road 26 detour. Signage will be updated at US 50 and CO 149 at the end of the access window (6:30 p.m.) directing all westbound traffic to use CO 149 to the County Road 26 detour.
Crews have completed the first stage of critical repairs on the bottom flange, the horizontal part of an L-shaped beam, of the US 50 Middle Bridge. Working from a temporary scaffolding suspended from the side of the bridge, crews began the process of bolting four plates in four locations on June 12.
The first phase addressed areas that posed an imminent risk to structural integrity. Each plate location’s assembly is about 23 feet long, 2 ½ feet wide, and 2 ½ inches thick, weighing approximately 9,000 pounds. More than 200 bolts were needed to secure each plate in place.
This weekend, crews will be preparing for quick deck access so that repairs can begin on the top flange on July 8, with bottom flange global repairs starting in August.
Detour Routes
County Road 26 continues to serve as a bypass around the bridge closure for travel between Gunnison and Montrose. 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. The State of Colorado legal maximum vehicle dimensions and weights will be enforced. This allows trailers and heavier commercial vehicles to use the bypass.
Vehicles traveling through Colorado should utilize the alternate state highway detours to the north and south (Interstate 70 and US Highway 160) instead of County Road 26 if possible. To maintain the local access route as a viable, safe bypass, traffic is managed using pilot vehicles.
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.
Information is also available on the project website at bit.ly/us50bridge.
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