Portion of US 6 in Clear Creek County to Close March 23-28
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY — Beginning Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m., US 6 will be closed between US 40 and SH 119 to accommodate planned work on the Peaks to Plains Trail project. The highway will reopenSaturday, March 28 at 5 p.m. The closure limits access to I-70 from Golden; access to Black Hawk and Central City from Golden will remain open.
“Constructing this trail has presented the project team with some unique demands,” said Martha Tableman, Clear Creek County Open Space Coordinator. “Another project might ordinarily be able to keep one lane open while the work was being done. Here, however, we are constructing a tunnel next to an existing bridge — a unique design — to provide outdoor enthusiasts with the best and safest trail experience possible.”
The six-day closure will allow crews to install an underpass for the Clear Creek County section of the trail just east of Tunnel 5. This will enable the trail to safely “cross” US 6 and follow the creek to connect with the Jefferson County portion of the trail. The underpass is a critical link for the new, four-mile trail, which will be 8 feet wide, 10 feet tall and 126 feet long.
Crews will work in two, 12-hour shifts to complete the work on time. Installation of the underpass will require removal of guardrail, asphalt and bridge slabs. Then, crews will dig into the ground and set a large, pre-constructed concrete culvert into place. Finally, dirt and other excavated materials will be “backfilled,” or replaced.
The highway will be closed to traffic for the safety of the traveling public. Crews will need to dig a hole in the ground that is deeper than the deep end of a swimming pool. Heavy equipment and machinery will be needed in order to complete the underpass. There will be no room to safely navigate the traveling public around the work, making it necessary to completely close the road. Motorists are encouraged to plan alternate routes to I-70 from Golden in advance of travel.
In case of inclement weather, backup dates for this work will be from Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. through Saturday, April 4, at 5 p.m
The Peaks to Plains project team thanks you for your patience during construction.
Contact the Project Team
If you have questions or comments about the Peaks to Plains Trail project, please email the Public Information Team at [email protected] or call the project hotline at 303-569-9972. You can also view pictures and get more information on the project blog, http://peaks2plains.wordpress.
