CO 71 Bridge Replacement in Rocky Ford

Project Completed

About the Project

Crews on this project are replacing an 85-year-old bridge that will better accommodate travel with 12-foot lanes and eight-foot shoulders.

Progress

Work on both the bridge over the Arkansas River and the bridge over Holbrook Canal is 95% complete.

Recently Completed Work

  • Redirected the Arkansas River so that removal of the existing bridge could be completed
  • Constructed foundations, installed precast piers, abutments and girders, and placed the decks for both new bridges
  • Constructed approach slabs to both bridges
  • Completed bridge rail work

Project Facts

  • Cost: Funded with state of Colorado FASTER Bridge Funding
  • Contractor(s): Lobato Construction, LLC
  • Location: CO 71 outside Rocky Ford 
  • Timeline: December 2018 to fall 2019

Upcoming Work

  • Asphalt paving
  • Guardrail installation
  • Final highway striping
  • Install signage
  • Landscape seeding

Traffic Impacts

  • Signage directs travelers along a detour route that utilizes US 50, CO 207 and CO 96. The detour adds approximately 15 minutes to a typical commute

  • Access remains open to businesses on CO 71 near the closure. The intersection of County Road 805 and CO 71 is located in the middle of the closures, making that route unsuitable as a detour around the work zones

Schedule and Work Hours

  • The highway is scheduled to reopen in mid-November. Both bridges will be complete by late November 2019
  •  Working hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. No night or weekend work is expected

Overview of Projects

The Colorado Department of Transportation along with its contractor, Lobato Construction, is currently in the process of replacing two bridges on CO 71 – one that spans the Arkansas River, and the other that crosses Holbrook Canal. The bridges being replaced are considered structurally weak.

In August of 2019, Lobato Construction began work on the Holbrook Canal bridge, extending a road closure already in place beginning at mile marker 18.75, or just south of the Arkansas River on CO 71, to mile marker 19.75, or just north of Holbrook Canal on CO 71.

Highlights of the new bridges include:

  • Concrete girders and decks
  • Eight-foot wide shoulders for improved safety
  • 12-foot wide traveling lanes

Contacting the Project Team

If you have questions about the project or would like to be notified of upcoming closures, please contact the Public Information Team. We will respond within 24 business hours.