PROJECT UPDATE: US 40 Muddy Pass Slide Repair Project Suspended for Winter by Next Friday, November 8

The project was scheduled for completion by mid-November, but crews have decided to postpone work until next spring.

“It’s at the point where weather is playing a factor in our final work on the roadway surface repairs,” said CDOT Project Engineer Justin Kuhn. “We will ensure the surface is in good condition for the winter but will return next spring to complete the full-depth repairs. Fortunately, there’s a benefit to suspending this roadway work—the slide will have several months to engage the new wall prior to completing full-depth repairs. Until the slide fully engages against the wall there could be some cracking in the roadway surface and even some settling. By postponing work until next summer we will reduce the impact on the final roadway surface.”

The project, which began this past June, had progressed well, with the completion of a 15-foot-high, 500-foot-long retaining wall now in place on the east/downhill side of Muddy Pass. Next spring, crews will excavate the roadway about four feet deep along the section abutting the new retaining wall. Then, the roadway will be rebuilt with stabilizing geo-grid (mesh) material layered with soil, and the entire stretch will be resurfaced with new asphalt.

Until the shutdown, motorists can expect a traffic shift allowing two-way traffic during most of the day and, at times, some single-lane, alternating traffic. Work hours through next Friday will remain 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

This $3.1 million project was contracted to Coggins & Sons. Motorists are encouraged to contact the public information officer for further info about the project at either 970-819-5125 or[email protected].

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