Public Meeting on July 20 to Discuss Summer Work on US 34 Canyon

LARIMER COUNTY—The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Kiewit Infrastructure Co. will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, to discuss impacts of work in the US 34 Canyon through the summer. The meeting will be at Ellis Ranch, 2331 Ellis Ranch Lane, in Loveland.

The meeting will include a formal presentation to educate the public about summer construction activities and traffic delays on US 34. Project representatives will clarify the traffic closures associated with work beginning in October, as well as an overview of the entire project.

It is important to note that at this meeting, CDOT will only be presenting information on summer construction and the traffic control plans starting in October. The specifics of the permitting process for canyon residents and a detailed schedule for fall construction activities will not be provided. These topics will be further addressed in September once more information is available.

Beginning on July 18, Kiewit crews will start light construction, including work site mobilization and material trucking. Starting this August, motorists will experience short-duration delays and traffic stops for rock-blasting and general construction operations between mile points (MP) 77 and 80 (from just east of Drake to the Cedar Cove area). CDOT will minimize these construction delays to intermittent closures of up to 20 - 30 minutes.

From late October through June 2017, the canyon will be closed to through-traffic. However, it will be open to all drivers east of MP 80 and west of MP 77. Drivers should use the detour on US 36 and CO 66 to travel between Estes Park and Loveland to reach properties in the canyon. The only through-access on US 34 from late October through June 2017 will be for canyon residents and emergency services through a permit process.

In September, CDOT will distribute detailed information on how residents may obtain permits and how this process will work. Residents will be allowed through the canyon from 6 – 8:30 a.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.

US 34 Big Thompson Canyon was heavily damaged during the 2013 floods, with many homes damaged and over 100 air lifted evacuations. The canyon and its residents also suffered from flooding in 1976. As a result of these two events, CDOT has been studying the hydraulic flow of the river in the canyon, and its impact on the road and bridges along its path, while looking for safety improvements and resiliency solutions to prevent/protect against future flood events.