Highway 67 Closure South of Florence Update

August 6, 2012 - Southeastern Colorado/CDOT Region 2 - FREMONT COUNTY – State Highway (SH) 67 remains closed to through traffic between Florence and Wetmore after last week’s rainstorm heavily damaged a bridge crossing a normally dry channel, five miles north of Wetmore.

SH67 August 2012 WashoutThe Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) currently is providing site visits for potential contractors and gathering bids for construction of a paved detour around the bridge site.  A contractor is expected to be selected Wednesday and given a Notice to Proceed by Friday, August 10.

Detour construction is expected to begin sometime next week, depending on how quickly the contractor can mobilize crews and equipment.  CDOT expects the detour to open in another one to two weeks.  Once opened, a signal will alternate northbound and southbound traffic through the area.

After the detour opens, CDOT will advertise for a contractor to build a new bridge.  The timeframe for building it is unknown until a contractor is in place.  However, CDOT expects it to take up to six months.  Work also would include improvements to the water channel, which is approximately 34 feet deep.

Local traffic still is able to access areas north and south of the bridge.  Until the detour is opened, through traffic will need to use the following highways to access areas north and south of the closure points:

  • Areas north of the bridge – U.S. 50
  • Areas south of bridge – From Pueblo: SH 96; points west of Wetmore: SH 69 & SH 96

The current structure, which sunk about five feet below the road surface, is made of wood and built in 1952 (see photo below).  Approximately 1,300 vehicles use this segment of SH 67 daily.

Updated information regarding traffic impacts on this or other CDOT projects is available at www.cotrip.org or by calling 511.  To receive project updates via e-mail, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner.  The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including Southeast Colorado.