US 24 Lake County

Culvert Replacements

CDOT will be replacing seven culverts on US 24 just north of Leadville in Lake County. Altogether, five regular culverts will be replaced and two box culverts at Tennessee Creek and East Tennessee Creek. The highway will also receive significant shouldering and embankment improvements from mile marker (MM) 169 to MM 170.7, which is approximately a 1.7 mile stretch.

The culverts that will be replaced are not only undersized, but are also in poor condition. Their replacement is vital to maintaining the integrity of the highway. Shouldering and embankment improvements will level the steep slopes next to the roadway and bring them up to standard.

CDOT understands that the construction of this project will result in impacts to the travelling public, but has made every effort to minimize that impact. Innovations in the design have been made, including expediting the construction duration, using as many pre-cast structures as possible (rather than creating the structures on site and waiting for them to cure), and substitution of a material called flow fill rather than dirt to backfill excavations, which is a faster process and can prevent future dips in the road. Work hours have also been adjusted (during periods without overnight closures) to reduce delays for morning commuters.

Northern Colorado Constructors, Inc. is the contractor for this $1.5 million project.

Culverts Project Timeline

The project started August 6, 2012 and is expected to finish by November 2012.

Construction Impacts

Work will take place on Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day with a 7:30 a.m. start during periods without overnight closures. The speed limit will be reduced in the area from 55 MPH to 40 MPH and motorists may experience delays of up to 10 minutes as there will be lane closures through the work zone.

For more information about weekly lane closures and travel impacts, visit www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html.

The construction of the two box culverts will require overnight (24-hour closures) for up to nine weeks with traffic lights controlling one-way traffic. The specific dates and times of these closures will be forthcoming.

Oversize restrictions are anticipated and motorists are urged to drive Slow for the Cone Zone.

California Gulch Bridge Replacements

CDOT replaced two bridges at mile marker (MM) 178 and MM 179 with concrete box culverts. The bridges, both built in 1934, became functionally obsolete, so in addition to replacing them, CDOT also widened the lanes and shoulders, and installed new guardrail and bridge rail. CDOT thanks the Lake County community for its patience throughout this project, which finished on time and on budget.

Northern Colorado Constructors, Inc. was the contractor for this $1.3 million project.