US 34 Briefly Open this Weekend

LARIMER COUNTY—The US 34 canyon will be open to all motorists from 6 a.m. Saturday, May 6, through 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 8. The highway is scheduled to reopen for the summer by May 25.

Drivers should still expect to encounter 10- to 15-minute delays to stop at the closure limits and follow a pilot car through the construction area. Crews will be working in areas that will not impact travel.

While much work is still necessary to prepare the roadway for free-flowing, two-way traffic this summer, if there are any remaining opportunities to open prior to May 25, we will announce them.

Throughout this summer, the majority of the work being done will be off the roadway, and US 34 drivers will encounter minimal impacts with only the occasional short-term traffic stops for activities like moving equipment or hauling materials.

This summer, the project team will also define the construction phases for the final closure next winter. The team's goal is to find ways to complete construction and reduce impacts to canyon users.

About the Project

US 34 Big Thompson Canyon's roads and bridges were 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 studied 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.