Clear Creek Canyon Safety Project Completed Early

JEFFERSON COUNTY - The Colorado Department of Transportation’s rockfall mitigation project along the 12-mile segment of Clear Creek Canyon between Golden and Highway 119 will be completed today, two weeks ahead of schedule.  

Successfully completing this safety project consisted of:

• Removing an estimated 50,000 cubic yards of rockfall debris
• Installing more than 350,000 square-feet of rock netting
• Securing over 900 anchors and 350 still posts, five feet into the canyon’s rock walls
• Installing more than 5,500 linear feet of anchor cable

These safety enhancements will reduce potential hazards from natural rockfalls, both to the traveling public and recreational users, including hikers, mountain bikers, rafters and kayakers.  It also will help mitigate potential property and roadway damage caused by falling rock and other debris. 

The contractor, Apex Rockfall Mitigation of Grand Junction, completed the two-phase, $3 million project over a seven-month period. 

BE SAFE driving through Colorado’s canyons.  Please remember to: 

• Obey the posted speed limits.
• Stay Alert!  Expect the unexpected.
• Be aware of the potential for small rocks in the roadway.  If you do encounter a rock(s), it is best to NOT drive over it since its size can be deceiving and possibly damage your vehicle’s undercarriage.
• Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving.
• Turn on headlights so that other drivers can see you.
• Be especially alert at night.  Mountain roads can be tougher to navigate in the dark.
• Allow ample space between you and the vehicle in front of you.

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and airports, and administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Gov. Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.