SH 133 Open Day & Night, Traffic Delays During Day
PITKIN/GUNNISON COUNTIES – As announced last evening, SH 133 opened to single-lane, alternating traffic just after 5 p.m. Colorado Department of Transportation rockfall contractor Yenter Companies completed the necessary rock scaling yesterday at the rockfall site at mile point 29, just north of Paonia Reservoir. (This work is in response to a rockfall incident that happened on Sunday, May 5.)
Today, crews will continue work on drilling the large rocks on the roadway in preparation for blasting either this afternoon, and likely all day tomorrow (this is an estimated schedule of work). Rocks will be broken up into pieces that can be hauled away in some 100-plus dump truck loads. With good progress and good weather, it is possible—but NOT a certainty—that the road could be fully open on Friday (updates are posted at www.cotrip.org).
NEW!! TRAVEL IMPACTS: Work is underway each day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.—during these hours (today, tomorrow and possibly Friday), motorists will encounter single-lane, alternating traffic and possibly up to two-hour delays. Delays are due to 1) a large drill rig that is set up the free lane and requires time to move on and off the site; and 2) blasting operations and subsequent loading and hauling away. At night, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., motorists will simply encounter a continuous flow of single-lane, alternating traffic (with minimal delays).
OPTIONAL ALTERNATE ROUTE – The closure barricades are at MP 28 on the south side and MP 29.5 on the north. Motorists from the south attempting to get from Paonia to Carbondale, Glenwood or Aspen will need to detour onto SH 92, SH 65, I-70 and the SH 82 - a detour of about 140 miles. (Motorists from the north will use this detour in reverse). CDOT will post updates on this closure at www.cotrip.org (see “Travel Alerts”).
SEPARATE, ONGOING PROJECT NORTH OF SUMMIT: CDOT’s separate project (with contractor TK Mining) is still underway north of the summit, between MP 44 and 49 (near Marble, at MP 45). At this site, during periods of rock scaling work (done each day), traffic will be stopped in both directions for up to 20 minutes. Delays may exceed 20 minutes as traffic queues are cleared in both directions. When scaling is not underway, travelers should still anticipate some delays and single-lane, alternating traffic, Monday through Friday (and some Saturdays) during daylight hours.
For information on CDOT projects statewide, the public may log on to www.cotrip.org or call 511. Better yet, sign up for highway updates by going towww.coloradodot.info and choosing the green cell phone icon in the upper right corner. Thank you for going Slow for the Cone Zone!
