U.S. 34 east of Estes Park reopens four days ahead of schedule

LARIMER COUNTY – By 6 p.m. tonight, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will reopen U.S .34 just east of Estes Park following an eight-day closure for bridge replacement. U.S. 34 has been closed at milepost 65.4 near Drake since midnight on February 3rd while crews demolished and replaced one of two steel truss bridges originally constructed in 1937.

“Our contractor has been working extremely hard over the last eight days in order to reopen US 34 before Sunday, February 14th,” said CDOT Resident Engineer Scott Ellis. “By prefabricating much of the new bridge and working nearly 24 hours a day, crews were able to complete the work and reopen US 34 four days ahead of schedule and in time for the holiday weekend.”

SEMA Construction, Inc. is the contractor for this $3.8 million project scheduled to be complete by Memorial Day 2010.

CDOT still has one more bridge to replace on US 34 at milepost 66.3, which will require another full closure of US 34 for approximately 12 days. Currently, the second closure is scheduled to take place March 1st through March 12th; however, the closure may be moved to the week of February 22nd to take advantage of good weather.

“We know that March can be a very snowy month so if we have a window of favorable weather conditions in late February we are going to take advantage of it,” added Ellis. “Like with this last bridge, we will have to completely close US 34, but our crews will work through the same construction process in order to reopen US 34 as soon as possible.”

As soon as the contractor determines the exact date of the second closure, more information will be released. You can also visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/us-34-truss-bridges or call 970-685-0229 for project updates.

Following both closures, crews will have some minor work to complete. Between the middle of March and the middle of May, crews will install the remaining drainage structures that are outside of the roadway and pave the roadway in asphalt. The paving cannot take place until warmer temperatures return. Other minor work includes staining the concrete on the new bridges and installing the guardrail. During the last two months of construction, motorists can expect single-lane alternating traffic during daytime hours, Monday through Friday.

The closure is necessary to allow the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to replace the first of two bridges on US 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon. Both structures are steel truss bridges that were constructed in 1937 and are in poor condition.

“Due to the snow we received last night, the contractor is unable to complete the preparatory work by Monday as it requires single-lane alternating traffic and the icy conditions create an unsafe situation for motorists and the flaggers,” said CDOT Resident Engineer Scott Ellis. “As a result, the closure will be postponed two days so that the contractor can complete the preparatory work at the bridge under safe conditions.”

Go to the Estes Park Trail-Gazette to see the entire article.

LARIMER COUNTY – The first full closure of US 34 just east of Estes Park will now take place Wednesday, February 3rd through Sunday, February 14th, weather permitting. The closure is necessary to allow the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to replace the first of two bridges on US 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon. Both structures are steel truss bridges that were constructed in 1937 and are in poor condition.

“Due to the snow we received last night, the contractor is unable to complete the preparatory work by Monday as it requires single-lane alternating traffic and the icy conditions create an unsafe situation for motorists and the flaggers,” said CDOT Resident Engineer Scott Ellis. “As a result, the closure will be postponed two days so that the contractor can complete the preparatory work at the bridge under safe conditions.”

During the closure, US 34 will be completely closed at milepost 65.4 and motorists will be detoured through Lyons along US 287, State Highway 66 and US 36. The closure will be in place 24 hours a day starting at 12:01 a.m. on February 3rd and continuing through February 14th while crews demolish the existing bridge and construct the new bridge. The detour route will add approximately 15 miles (20 minutes) onto a trip from Estes Park to Loveland.

A second closure of US 34 at milepost 66.3 will be required in March to demolish and replace the second structure. This closure is tentatively scheduled for March 1st through March 12th, but is subject to change due to weather or construction activities. The same detour route will be utilized during the second closure of US 34.

“We understand that the full closures are a huge inconvenience, but the only way to replace these aging structures is to completely close the highway,” added Ellis. “We have a fast track method of construction in place that will allow us to complete the majority of work in 12 days so we can reopen US 34 to traffic.”

Following both closures, crews will have some minor work to complete. Between the middle of March and the middle of May, crews will install the remaining drainage structures that are outside of the roadway and pave the roadway in asphalt. The paving cannot take place until warmer temperatures return. Other minor work includes staining the concrete on the new bridges and installing the guardrail. During the last two months of construction, motorists can expect single-lane alternating traffic during daytime hours, Monday through Friday.

For more information about the project, visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/us-34-truss-bridges or call 970-685-0229. For frequently asked questions, visit the project Web site.

SEMA Construction, Inc. is the contractor for this $3.8 million project scheduled to be complete by Memorial Day 2010.

The alternate route, which meets U.S. 34 in the canyon at Drake, bypasses the construction zones but is a two-lane road with steep sections including sharp curves

Transportation officials are urging motorists to use US 36 between Estes Park and Lyons as the alternative route to the valley during the closures.

The first of two 12-day road closures on US 34 just east of Estes Park will begin on Monday as the Colorado Department of Transportation`s project to replace a pair of aging steel truss bridges over the Big Thompson River kicks into high gear.

Go to the Estes Park Trail-Gazette to see the entire article.

The upstream bridge on U.S. 34, built in 1937, is the lowest-rated bridge -- 6 on a scale of 100 -- on CDOT's list of 124 poor-rated bridges in the state.

The $3.8 million replacement of two structurally deficient steel truss bridges erected in Big Thompson Canyon during the Great Depression – including the lowest-rated bridge on the state system’s list of 124 poor-rated bridges – will force two 12-day closures of U.S. 34 downriver from Estes Park in February and March.

SEMA Construction is doing the work for the Colorado Department of Transportation. The full closures are schedule for Feb. 1-12 for the bridge upstream closer to Estes Park, and for March 1-12 for the second span nine-tenths of a mile downriver – dependent on the cooperation of the weather and the off-site fabrication of the new bridge girders remaining on schedule, as it currently is.

The downstream bridge, also built in 1937, is rated 34 on a scale of 100.

You can click here to view an interactive map, complete with pictures and descriptions including year of construction, of the poor-rated bridges on the CDOT system.

Steel truss bridges cannot be removed in stages to permit continuing traffic because their type of support system requires removal all at once. And the canyon itself is too narrow for a short detour around the work site within CDOT’s right-of-way. A work-zone detour would have required the state to acquire adjacent private property through eminent domain, a costly and unnecessary acquisition since it wouldn’t be needed after construction.

SEMA work crews drill caissons for bridge supports at the upper span two months ago.

The net difference in travel from the two detour points is 15.8 miles, with the detour being 45 miles long.

That leaves motorists with a lengthy detour, depending on their destination. CDOT is recommending than motorists use U.S. 287 south out of Loveland to CO 66 in Longmont, then up through Lyons to Estes Park. Traffic on the canyon road averages about 5,500 vehicles a day.

Here is CDOT’s suggested detour route during the two closures:

View US 34 Bridge Replacement Detour in a larger map

SEMA began work in November by drilling caissons and constructing the bridge abutments at the two sites. Completion is scheduled in May.

CDOT arranged the work schedule so that the closures and disruption occurred during the winter instead of during the summer tourist season.

Below you’ll find a Google Earth aerial view of the canyon showing the locations of the two bridges. Under that are interactive Google Street View photos of the two bridges.

Google Earth view looking toward the northeast shows the two work sites.

Here is the upstream bridge:

View Larger Map

Here is the downstream bridge:

View Larger Map

Drivers should use CO 66 through Lyons to CO 36 to reach Estes Park during the closures, Feb. 1-12 and March 1-12, said Mindy Crane, Department of Transportation spokeswoman.

Because of the scope of the project — removing and replacing the old bridges — work cannot be done on half the road at a time. Crews will have to close the entire road in both directions, said Crane.

The historic bridges, part of the original highway built in 1937, will be re-used, possibly on trails.

Go to the Loveland Reporter-Herald to see the entire article.