GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. — The Blue Mesa Middle Bridge, which closed on April 18 after an inspection revealed multiple cracks in the bridge, will reopen a 24/7 single-lane configuration to all traffic on Wednesday.
On Friday, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced that after "significant progress on major structural repairs," it will open one lane on the bridge to all legal loads with pilot operations. The bridge, which is about 18 miles west of the City of Gunnison, will stay open for 24 hours seven days a week, CDOT said. Traffic will continue to be piloted in one direction at a time and heavier vehicles will be released one by one to cross the bridge, so drivers should still expect some delays.
Meanwhile, crews will continue to work on final construction aspects overnight. This will happen between 11:30 p.m. and 6 a.m., so travelers at this time will see longer wait times, similar to what they saw during repairs to the Lake Fork Bridge, which has remained open to the public with pilot car operations and alternating traffic. The Lake Fork Bridge is made of the same steel as Blue Mesa Middle Bridge and was also inspected this past spring. Its repairs never required a full closure.
The final touches will ensure the Blue Mesa Middle Bridge is ready for its normal traffic configuration, with one lane open in each direction, ahead of winter.
"The mid-October opening of the bridge to all legal loads is the last major milestone to restoring normal travel along US 50 between Gunnison and Montrose," CDOT said.
Opening the bridge in the single-lane configuration will end the pilot car operations on County Road 26, which will stay open as a local alternate route when weather conditions allow. The bypass was opened multiple times a day in both directions for travelers during the bridge closure, however CDOT urged drivers to use state highway detours to the north and south instead of the county road.
CDOT will hold a virtual public meeting about Wednesday's reopening on Monday from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Spanish interpreters will be on the call. To join this meeting via Zoom, click here.
Background on the Blue Mesa Middle Bridge repair project
The bridge closed to all traffic on April 18 due to safety concerns. The Federal Highway Administration and state engineers urged CDOT to shut the bridge down after reviewing findings from a safety inspection, which revealed several cracks. In a news conference, CDOT said that it did the first inspection of the bridge April 11 and found a crack in the bridge. Crews removed the paint and did ultrasonic testing, which helped them determine the 3- to 4-inch crack ran through the steel. A second inspection was performed on April 18.
That same day, the bridge was closed to all traffic.
A few days later, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, acting as governor, verbally declared a disaster emergency to support repairs of the bridge. The disaster declaration allowed for an interagency, statewide response and initiated the process for requesting federal funding.
The Colorado Transportation Commission approved an emergency request for $10 million in funding.
The closure forced a significant detour on local drivers who commute through Montrose and Gunnison and the surrounding areas. The northern route involved Interstate 70 and the southern route took drivers on US 160.
"CDOT understands the inconvenience that this creates and is rapidly evaluating options to improve options for residents, businesses, and travelers on the western slope," the agency said in a press release at the time.
Over the following weeks, CDOT was involved in the "slow, time-consuming process of removing paint from the bridge to see the condition of the underlying steel," the department said. That revealed almost 120 locations that needed to be addressed.
The first phase of the repairs involved fixing cracks and critical issues in four areas that "posed an imminent risk to structural integrity," CDOT said. Four large steel plates were installed beneath the bridge in those areas. Each one weighs 9,000 pounds and is 23 feet long, 2.5 feet wide and 2.5 inches thick. That was completed in early July, and allowed crews to open the bridge to small vehicles and emergency services ahead of the July 4 holiday. However, all Class A motorhomes, larger Class C motorhomes, semi-trucks, commercial buses and pickup trucks with a gooseneck trailer or a 5th-wheel camper or trailer had to use the County Road 26 detour, CDOT said.
Watch our coverage from about the completion of the first phase in the video below.
The second phase will lead to both lanes reopening and traffic returning to normal. That is expected this fall, though an exact date is not yet available.
The construction for these repairs came with a price tag of $6 million, according to CDOT.
For the latest information on this project, email questions to us50bridge@gmail.com or call 970-648-4423 for the US 50 Bridge Closure Hotline, which is staffed 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
