US 50 Middle Bridge in Gunnison opens to all traffic Oct. 16

News Release

October 11, 2024 - Northwestern Colorado - Traffic will be piloted one way across the bridge 24-7 for all legal loads

Montrose, Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties - The Colorado Department of Transportation is pleased to announce significant progress on major structural repairs on the US 50 Middle Bridge. This will allow the bridge to open in a single lane configuration to all legal loads Wednesday, Oct. 16, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with pilot operations. Final construction activities will continue during overnight hours, from 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., and late-night travelers can expect longer wait times, similar to what they have been encountering at the Lake Fork Bridge. The remaining construction activity will prepare the bridge for normal, two-way traffic, with both lanes open, ahead of winter.

Traffic over the Middle Bridge will continue to be piloted in one direction at a time, and heavier vehicles – including semi trucks, charter buses and class A motorhomes – will be released one at a time over the bridge while the temporary work deck is removed from below the structure. For this reason, anyone traveling over the Middle Bridge should continue to plan for delays.

Opening the bridge to all vehicles will bring an end to pilot car operations on County Road 26. This road will remain open for travel and can continue to be used as a local alternate route as long as weather conditions allow.

Public meeting

CDOT and Kiewit will host a virtual public meeting to discuss these updates and answer questions on Monday, Oct. 14, from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Spanish interpretation will be available.

When: Monday, Oct. 14, from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85486998008

Repair process

The US 50 Middle Bridge closed to all traffic April 18 after several cracks were observed during a special inspection. Ongoing inspections over the next several weeks involved the slow, time-consuming process of removing paint from the bridge to see the condition of the underlying steel. This process revealed nearly 120 locations to address.

The first repair phase involved installing four large steel plates beneath the bridge in areas that posed an imminent risk to structural integrity. Each steel plate bolted beneath the bridge is about 23 feet long, 2 ½ feet wide and 2 ½ inches thick and weighs about 9,000 pounds. Crews worked from a temporary scaffolding suspended from the side of the bridge to install each of the massive 200 bolts needed to secure each plate in place. The completion of this first repair phase enabled opening the bridge to limited traffic July 3.

As repairs progressed, the list of vehicles allowed to travel over the bridge was expanded just prior to the Labor Day weekend to include all vehicles except heavier commercial vehicles and larger motorhomes.

The mid-October opening of the bridge to all legal loads is the last major milestone to restoring normal travel along US 50 between Gunnison and Montrose. Night work will continue as weather permits and next spring crews will return to do final restoration work.

Large steel plates were installed beneath the US 50 Middle Bridge to help reinforce the structure
Large steel plates weighing about 9,000 pounds each were installed beneath the US 50 Middle Bridge to help reinforce the structure.

Crews installed nearly 200 bolts to hold each of the massive steel plates in place
Nearly 200 bolts hold each of the massive steel plates in place.

US 50 Lake Fork Bridge Update

The US 50 Lake Fork Bridge is also open to all legal loads but repair work continues. The bridge is open to all vehicles with flaggers directing traffic from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. seven days a week. Repair work during the overnight hours will continue as weather permits and drivers can expect longer wait times to cross the bridge from 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Project Information

For additional information about this project:

  • Call 970-648-4423 to leave a voicemail for a call back at other times.
  • You can email questions to [email protected].
  • Website resource: https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/1078/Hwy-50-Bridge-Closure, bit.ly/us50bridge; https://www.facebook.com/US50bridge.
  • To sign up for email updates on all Gunnison County roadwork messaging, please visit https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/list.aspx to select what updates you’d like to start receiving. For road updates, select Travel Advisories from the List.

Know Before You Go

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts, anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions before hitting the road. CDOT and other resources include:

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!

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!