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 second full closure of U.S. 34 just east of Estes Park is still scheduled to take place March 1 through 12, weather permitting. The closure is necessary to allow SEMA Construction to replace the last steel truss bridge in Big Thompson Canyon.

CDOT will reopen US 34 in Big Thompson Canyon Wednesday night after SEMA Construction was able to complete replacement of one of two bridges ahead of schedule. The old bridge had been the worst-rated bridge in the entire state highway system.

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 unsafe 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.

The suggested detour between Estes Park and Loveland during the closures is via CO 66 and U.S. 287 through Longmont, nearly 16 miles longer than the trip on U.S. 34. But the canyon environment and adjacent private property made temporary work zone detours prohibitively expensive for such a short time.

The Loveland Reporter-Herald reports that U.S. 34 between Drake and Estes Park will be closed for 12 days each in February and March so that SEMA Construction crews can replace two poor-rated steel truss bridges in the Canyon.

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.

The Estes Park Trail Gazette reports that CDOT’s contractor SEMA Construction has begun the replacement of two bridges on U.S. 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon east of Estes Park. Both structures are steel truss bridges built in 1937 and are in poor condition.

During the first several months of the project, crews will construct the caissons and abutments for the new structures. This work will require single-lane alternating traffic at both bridges from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays. Minor delays are expected.

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