Second US 24 Bridge Replacement to Begin Today South of Leadville

LAKE COUNTY — Beginning today, Wednesday, October 3 and lasting through Tuesday, October 9, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will have a detour in place 24 hours a day south of Leadville on US 24 from mile marker (MM) 178 to MM 179.

During the work, US 24 will be closed to all traffic, and motorists will be required to take a seven mile detour using State Highway 300, Lake County Road 5, Lake County Road 4, and McWethy Drive. The detour will be marked.

The bridge replacements are part of a larger project that replaces two bridges on US 24 south of Leadville at mile marker (MM) 178 and MM 179 with box culverts. The bridges, both built in 1934, have become functionally obsolete and can no longer handle the amount of traffic that use them on a daily basis.

In addition to replacing both bridges, CDOT will also widen the lanes and shoulders, and will install new guardrail and bridge rail. Since there are several businesses and residences between the two structures, only one will be able to be replaced at a time and a local detour will be in place for as many as seven days at a time for each bridge.

Work will typically take place on Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, and from 7 a.m. to noon on Fridays. The speed limit will be reduced in the area from 55 MPH to 40 MPH.

Northern Colorado Constructors, Inc. is the contractor for this $1.3 million project that is scheduled for completion in October 2012.

For more information about weekly lane closures and travel impacts, visit www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html or call 1-800-630-2017.

To receive other real-time updates about road conditions in your area, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and be sure to “Like” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coloradodot.