Rockfall Update - US 550 Red Mountain Pass

OURAY COUNTY – As reported earlier today, crews installed four more rockfall nets for a total of 36 now on the slope. Crews then worked to complete fastening them together prior to the storm. Some significant rock scaling was also completed. With the storm headed in, bringing up to 2 feet of snow by the weekend, crews will carry out any necessary follow-up mitigation as weather permits.

Tomorrow, 600 feet of concrete barrier will be brought in—400 feet will serve as a base for rockfall fencing that will be set along the inside of the highway center line, effectively closing the northbound lane in the rockfall zone (there will be 100 feet of barrier on either end for a taper). This fencing will serve as a temporary safeguard, enabling CDOT to initially open a single lane through this area.

Announcement of a reopen plan could come tomorrow, but hinges on a site assessment and weather conditions.

UPDATED INFORMATION:  Briefs and photos are posted on CDOT’s Media Room page at http://www.coloradodot.info/news/media-room.html and full press releases, which have been issued each night after the end-of-day briefing meeting, are posted at:  http://www.coloradodot.info/news/statewide-news.

ALTERNATE ROUTE & INFORMATION: Travelers will use the following highways for an alternate route:  SH 62, SH 145 and US 160. For information on other CDOT projects, the public may call 511 or log onto CDOT’s traveler information web site at www.cotrip.org. Better yet, sign up to receive email and/or text messages by going to CDOT’s web site at www.coloradodot.info and choosing the green phone icon in the upper right corner.