US 550 Red Mountain Pass Avalanche Control System

About the Project

This project involves the installation of O’bellx and Gasex fixed avalanche control systems, including concrete bases, at three slide paths north of the Red Mountain Pass summit: Blue Point, Blue Willow and Mother Cline. The system, the first to be installed on any US 550 pass, will provide more efficient avalanche control, making the area safer for CDOT crews and the traveling public. This remote system is also more reliable and safer for CDOT personnel to operate.

Every winter CDOT and its sister agency, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, regularly monitor and control some 278 of 522 known avalanche paths located above Colorado highways. The monitoring and mitigation help prevent natural avalanches from impacting public travel. When there is high risk of avalanche danger, CDOT will close highways at the location of the avalanche path in order to conduct avalanche control operations. While the road is safely closed to any traffic, avalanches are triggered. Maintenance crews with heavy equipment then clear the highway of any snow and debris that reached the road. The highway can then be re-opened for safer public travel.

Project Benefits

• Gazex and O'bellx systems are safer to operate than those that use explosives
• The remote-controlled systems will enable more efficient avalanche control, making the areas safer for CDOT crews and travelers
• The systems can be operated at night, allowing CDOT maintenance crews to clear the road before morning

Work Schedule:

The work was completed on October 24. CDOT and Colorado Avalanche Information Center crews will test the systems in mid-November.

Traffic Impacts:

There are no more impacts to travel.