Local Access Information

Limited Opening of US 50 Middle Bridge

Beginning Monday, July 8, the bridge will be open twice daily for single-direction traffic between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. One lane on the US 50 Middle Bridge will be open during those times and a pilot car will lead smaller vehicles across the bridge one direction at a time. Flaggers will be posted to separate which traffic can go over the bridge and which traffic will need to use the County Road 26 detour.

Special announcement: For July 12 and July 13 only, evening pilot car operation hours will be extended from 4:30 p.m. to midnight for Cattlemen's Days in Gunnison. 

Vehicles approved for travel over the Middle Bridge:

• Passenger Vehicles
• Pickup Trucks
• Vans
• Motorcycles
• Emergency vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks

Vehicles that will need to continue using the County Road 26 detour:

• RV/Campers
• Motorhomes
• Trucks pulling trailers (boats, campers, side by sides)
• Semi trucks
• Buses

Bicyclists will need to continue using Kebler Pass (also known as County Road 12).

Local Access Route for Gunnison, Hinsdale & Montrose Counties

The County Road 26 bypass is open multiple times per day in each direction for local public travel -- which includes residents, business owners and those visiting the area. If possible, vehicles traveling through Colorado should utilize the alternate state highway detours to the north and south instead of County Road 26. To maintain this as a viable, safe bypass, traffic will be managed using pilot vehicles. CR 26 (also known as Lake City Cutoff) is a high mountain native surface and gravel road. Only on Wednesdays will be a midday closure to repair the road when staff and materials are available.

Monday to Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday Piloted Release Time Schedule

Wednesday Piloted Release Time Schedule

No other public travel will be allowed outside of these times.

• No Placarded Hazardous Materials loads per Colorado Department of Transportation Regulations
• Prohibited vehicles will need to use detours on Interstate 70 or Colorado Highway 160 to travel between Gunnison and Montrose.

Oversize/Overweight Vehicles 

Starting June 26, Gunnison CR 26 will allow overweight and over-width traffic. These loads, in excess of 85,000 pounds and/or over 8 1⁄2 feet in width and/or 14 1⁄2 feet in height and/or truck tractor semitrailer combinations that exceed 70 feet, require special permitting on both state and County roads. Oversize Overweight vehicles are required to comply with state regulations found at:
https://leg.colorado.gov/content/size-and-weight-limitations

Extra-Legal permits (permit) must be obtained prior to entry into Colorado or prior to movement of the vehicle/load. In order to travel County Road 26 both state and County permits must be obtained. At a minimum, obtaining the approved permit by noon the day before the movement of the vehicle/load should be followed to ensure that the trip can proceed. These vehicles will proceed during the regularly scheduled release times.

Travel will only be permitted during the following release times on only Wednesdays for Oversize-Overweight loads.

Eastbound release times are 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. and westbound release times are 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. Each traffic release window is 30 minutes.

For state permits contact the Colorado Department of Transportation at 1-800-350-3765 or through https://coopr.codot.gov/

For County permits contact Gunnison County Public Works at 970-641-0044 or email [email protected] or online at https://gunnisoncounty.org/157/Public-Works.

County Road 26 Safety Message: It is strongly advised to stay inside or directly next to your vehicle when waiting in queue lines for pilot releases. While people, children, and pets may need to get out of the vehicle for various reasons, this poses a safety concern when working vehicles and emergency vehicles need to share the road as well as when the alternating release of vehicles drive by. To keep everyone’s trip across County Road 26 safe, minimize impacts to all travelers and workers, and to avoid delaying the timing of the releases, all are asked to stay inside or right next to your vehicle.

County Road 25

Gunnison County Road 25 remains closed. County Road 25 will remain closed until safety improvements have been completed.

Recommended Alternate Routes for US 50 

The recommended detour route for through traffic (those not stopping in Montrose, Gunnison, Crested Butte, Hinsdale County or the surrounding areas) is via I-70 to the north or US 160 to the south. Access the recommended detour route on COtrip here. CDOT understands the inconvenience that this creates and is rapidly evaluating options to improve options for residents, businesses, and travelers on the western slope.

The northern route is 354 miles and requires approximately six hours of travel time. The southern route is 331 miles and requires nearly seven hours of travel time. CDOT and local partners are exploring whether it is feasible at this point in the season to clear local seasonal routes that may be able to significantly reduce the detour time for local travelers. 

Resources for Information & Updates:

• Call (970) 648-4423 for the US 50 Bridge Closure Hotline, it will be staffed 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; leave a voicemail for a call back at other times.
• You can email questions to [email protected].
• To sign up for text and or 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 for Travel Advisories from the List.