One lane of US 50 could be open on the Blue Mesa Bridge by July 4

One lane of U.S. 50 on the Middle Bridge over the Blue Mesa Reservoir could be open to intermittent traffic by July 4 if four critical repairs can be made by then, the state's director of highways said Tuesday evening. State Transportation, Shoshana Lew.

Repairs include the use of steel plates, 2 inches thick, 30 inches wide, and 27 feet long, to reinforce defects in welds made during bridge assembly beginning in April 1961 .

The reopening of the bridge could coincide with the completion of CDOT's Little Blue Canyon project between Montrose and Blue Mesa Reservoir. The widening, straightening and rock climbing on US 50 in this area has been ongoing for more than three years and has required multiple closures and delays with single-lane traffic.

When traffic is allowed again on Middle Bridge, it will flow in one direction for a period of time, then the other direction, possibly guided by pilot cars or flaggers. However, travel will be limited because repair work cannot be carried out while vehicles are traveling on the bridge.

Engineers discovered a total of 183 defects in the welds during an extensive evaluation that began after the 1,500-foot-long bridge closed April 18, when a 3-inch crack and other anomalies occurred. discovered during a safety inspection of high-strength steel bridges. required by the Federal Highway Administration.

Not all defects detected using sophisticated ultrasonic equipment are considered critical. Older technologies couldn't identify the problems, CDOT engineers said during a routine update held in Gunnison.

The plan is to open the Middle Bridge to traffic in both directions by Halloween. Keith Stefanik, CDOT's chief engineer, said the agency will develop a long-term replacement plan for Middle Bridge, although it may not be necessary for 25 years.

CDOT is also preparing to begin inspection of the 900-foot-long West Bridge, about 2 miles to the west, which is made from the same steel. Traffic will flow in one direction on this bridge during the inspection.

Since the bridge's abrupt closure, travel between Montrose and Gunnison has been diverted via County Road 26, a gravel road that crosses federal land. More traffic is allowed on the primitive road and there are now seven hours of release when drivers line up on either side of the detour, waiting to follow pilot cars going in one direction.

The detour is an alternative to long drives around Blue Mesa, which can add six to seven hours of travel time to a trip that typically takes just over an hour.

Residents hoped Kebler Pass, a shortcut between Crested Butte and Delta County, would be open for Memorial Day weekend. However, two snowstorms have stalled plans to clear the 30-mile road that is only partially paved and rises to 10,007 feet.

Story Type: News

Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the journalist or reported and verified by knowledgeable sources.

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://coloradosun.com/2024/05/22/us-50-blue-mesa-bridge-reopening/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos