CO 133 Culvert Repair in Bowie, CO

Project Complete

About the Project

Crews have mobilized to begin the permanent repairs to Colorado Highway 133 at Mile Point 16. The team will start by installing water pumps to divert the water flowing through Bear Creek in order to begin excavation. A critical element of the work is to ensure the Gunnison River and Bear Creek are protected from contamination and complete the restoration of the landscape due to work being completed by the contractor.

Traffic will continue to utilize the temporary bridge structure while work is performed below the roadway surface. Traffic impacts for permanent repairs are expected to be minimal.

Once the culvert is replaced, the final phase will be to remove the temporary bridge and begin the prep work for final paving and final striping.

During the final phase, traffic may be impacted down to a single lane. This is expected to be short term.

It is anticipated that all work will be completed by Nov. 17, 2023.

Project Facts

  • Construction Cost: $1.9 Million
  • Contractor: R.L. Wadsworth
  • Timeline: May through November 2023
  • Location: CO 133  
    • Nearest Town/City: Bowie
    • Mile Point(s): 16.2 to 17
    • County: Gunnison

Project Benefits

History of the Incident:

  • A safety closure started on Tuesday, May 2 at Mile Points 14 to 19 due to significant road damage. The damage originally began with a small sinkhole and lane closure during the weekend of Saturday, April 29. Major flooding from nearby Bear Creek early the week of May 1 filled a culvert with debris and flooded the roadway, pushing the culvert through the other side of the road and eroded roadway embankment, causing the road to collapse. The damage and safety closure are near Somerset, just north of Paonia. Access to Somerset from the north, via CO 133 McClure Pass, continues to be open
  • On Monday, June 19, crews opened a temporary bridge on CO 133 to traffic. The reopening of the roadway took place 10 days ahead of the contractual deadline which was originally set for late June. Contractor R.L. Wadsworth began the temporary bridge construction on May 23. The process for this type of prefabricated bridge usually requires four months, but crews expedited the installation.

Work Schedule

  • Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Traffic Impacts

Motorists can expect the following impacts during the period of construction:

  • Oversize/Overweight restrictions on the temporary bridge are: reduced speed limit to 40 mph, 85,000 lbs and 11 feet width restriction
  • Refer to COtrip.org for real-time travel conditions and road closures