The Durango Herald reports that a court ruling will make it easier for the Colorado Department of Transportation to connect U.S. 550 to a lonely overpass in Grandview dubbed “the Bridge to Nowhere” when it was built without locking down all the real estate to connect to it.

Judge Jeffrey R. Wilson shot down Webb Ranch property-owner Chris Webb’s allegations of bad faith and fraud in a 12-page order filed in District Court on Jan. 29. Wilson said the allegations didn’t fit because Webb’s former attorney should have known CDOT planned to build across Webb’s land. Webb has said he thought he agreed only to allow CDOT to expand the existing highway abutting his land, and that he didn’t agree to let the department reroute a highway directly through his 500-acre ranch.

The ruling marks a clear victory for CDOT, which has taken heat from residents for building a highly visible $6 million traffic feature across one of the area’s busier roads before acquiring all the necessary rights of way.

The low bidder on the first bridge replacement project funded by the FASTER bill’s increase in vehicle registration fees was the one closest to the job. Walsenburg Sand and Gravel Co. bid $1,837,111 to replace the bridge over Turkey Creek on CO 69 near Farisita. The project includes realignment of a half mile of the highway at the bridge. Walsenburg and Farisita are both in Huerfano County.

It’s a first in the United States for bridge construction – the FasTracks bridge over Sixth Avenue Freeway in Lakewood will be rolled into place intact during a weekend highway closure in April.

CDOT says the current plan for closed I-70 through Glenwood Canyon is to repair a large hole in the eastbound structure, then reopen it to one lane in each direction. That would allow traffic to resume while repairs are made on the larger hole in the westbound structure.

FasTracks construction of the new Sheridan Boulevard bridge is on schedule – good news for drivers through the two-lane work zone – and the structure may get its first girders next week. View a video of the work here and click on the story for an additional slide show.

The second full closure of US 34 just east of Estes Park is now scheduled to take place Thursday, March 4, through Monday, March 15, weather permitting. The closure is necessary to allow SEMA Construction to replace the last steel truss bridge on US 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon.

The beefed-up late fees that came with last year’s FASTER bill made a lot of procrastinating motorists angry but they have also had a much quieter and positive effect. More and more people are registering their vehicles on time rather than letting their expired registrations lag.

CDOT Media Release

Due to the inclement weather forecast for Sunday and Monday, the contractor has decided to postpone the closure of US 34 just east of Estes Park. At this time, it is unknown when the closure will begin as the contractor is trying to find a window of good weather. It is critical that we have good weather the first three days of construction as the roads must be clear for the girder delivery and fairly warm and dry conditions are needed to allow crews to demolish the existing bridge and construct the new bridge, which includes a concrete pour. We are keeping a close eye on the forecast and will keep you updated once the closure has been rescheduled.

We apologize for any inconvenience and will reschedule the closure as soon as weather allows.

Lawmakers in the Colorado House passed some exceptions Tuesday to the controversial late fees in last year’s FASTER bill. The changes would allow clerks a bit more discretion in waiving the fees, exempt commercial trailer owners if they can document they had idled that part of their fleet, and put a $10 maximum late fee on non-motorized vehicles 2,000 pounds or less.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will close southbound Interstate 25 through Trinidad on Sunday night, Feb. 28, for construction of the adjacent bridge over the Purgatoire River. Beginning at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28, southbound I-25 will be closed at Colorado Avenue (Exit 14B). Traffic will detour west to Colorado Avenue, south on Nevada Avenue to Santa Fe Trail, returning to I-25 at Exit 11. Southbound I-25 will reopen to traffic by 6 a.m. on Monday, March 1.