CDOT Evaluating Grand Avenue Bridge Alternatives

March 15, 2012 - Northwestern Colorado/CDOT Region 3 - Public Invited to Open House on Wednesday, April 4th.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS – The Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are conducting an Environmental Assessment (EA) study to determine options for rehabilitating or replacing the Grand Avenue Bridge on State Highway 82 in downtown Glenwood Springs. The bridge has been rated as in need of replacement or repair by the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Colorado Bridge Enterprise,* and an EA is required prior to approval of any major construction project using CDOT and/or federal funds.

CDOT and its bridge consultants, along with guidance from local stakeholders, have been working to identify a set of bridge alternatives to connect downtown Glenwood Springs with the area surrounding the historic Glenwood Hot Springs and I-70. Other than the existing single bridge connection between Grand and 6th Street at Pine, alternatives include single bridges on different alignments and two one-way bridges (couplets) that would connect at Grand, Colorado and Cooper to the south and Pine, Maple and Laurel on the north.

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE: As a part of a comprehensive public participation program, CDOT is holding a Public Open House for the SH 82 Grand Avenue Bridge project on Wednesday, April 4th from 4:30 to 7:00 pm at the Glenwood Springs Community Center (100 Wulfsohn Road). At the Open House the public can learn more about and provide input on the bridge alternatives under consideration and other topics related to the project:

  • Background information
  • Schedule
  • Purpose and Need for the project
  • Environmental Assessment process
  • Responsibilities of the project working teams
  • Bridge issues and concerns
  • Evaluation process
  • Initial alternatives
  • Right-of-way information
  • Public participation opportunities

Public input will be requested on the various elements of the initial alternatives. Background information and documentation on the project are posted at www.sh82grandavenuebridge.com (or go to http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/sh82grandavenuebridge.) Those wanting to receive project updates can sign up via CDOT’s free message system. Go to www.coloradodot.info and click on green cell phone in the upper right hand side of the page. After signing in, scroll down to “SH 82 Aspen to Glenwood” and check the box.

*The Colorado Bridge Enterprise is a government-owned business entity within CDOT. The Colorado General assembly created the statewide Bridge Enterprise via Senate Bill 09-108, also known as FASTER (Funding Advancements for Surface Treatment and Economic Recovery).The purpose of the Bridge Enterprise is to complete designated bridge projects that involve the financing, repair, reconstruction and replacement of bridges designated as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, and rated “poor” by CDOT.