Colorado Highway 119 Boulder Canyon full closure for safety blasting Oct. 19

October 9, 2019 - Northeastern Colorado

BOULDER — Colorado Highway 119 will be closed from Milepoint 39-40 on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 a.m. through Sunday, Oct. 20, at 8 a.m., allowing project crews to safely remove a potentially unstable rock ledge above the Boulder Canyon. 

This 3,000 cubic yard blast is necessary to ensure the safety of Colorado 119 users, and will require more clean-up than the regularly scheduled daily blasts. 

In light of the start of the school year and bus operations, the Colorado Highway 119 team has scheduled this extended full closure over a weekend to minimize impacts as much as possible.

During the extended closure, travelers are urged to avoid the Boulder Canyon route,] if possible. Local detours are available. From Boulder, a northern alternate route can be taken via CO 7, US 36 and CO 72. A southern alternate route is available via CO 93 and CO 72. Please note, motorists taking the southern alternate route should be aware of a current project on CO 72 in Coal Creek Canyon, between Plainview Road (mile point 12.3) and Pinecliffe (MP 24.6). A detour map is included below. Expect lane shifts and short delays at this work zone. 

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Anyone wanting to receive text alerts about this project and the closure can text CO119 to 21000.

STAY INFORMED 

Travelers can obtain information about this closure and construction project by: 

REMEMBER: SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.

  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.

  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.

  • Be patient!

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located at its Denver headquarters and in regional offices 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. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.