Bennet, Hickenlooper seek federal funding for US 50 bridge repair over Blue Mesa

Heather Willard
·3 min read
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DENVER (KDVR) — U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to send Colorado funding to help remedy the U.S. 50 closure over Blue Mesa Reservoir.

The bridge was closed on April 18, and officials still have no reopening date planned. State inspectors found a defect at milepost 136.3 and Colorado Department of Transportation inspectors also identified anomalies in the bridge.

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On Tuesday, the two U.S. senators wrote to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who was recently in Colorado, asking for additional funding to support a short-term detour and long-term bridge replacement.

The east-west corridor provides access between Gunnison and Montrose, a trip that otherwise requires detours north to Interstate 70 or south to U.S. 160. On April 22, CDOT announced that a local access road would be opened, allowing a shorter detour around the U.S. 50 bridge closure for local and essential travel. Bennet and Hickenlooper noted that the closure creates a six-hour drive for Western Slope residents who could normally make the trip in 75 minutes.

“We write to request your assistance as Colorado faces ongoing challenges with the closure of US 50 Blue Mesa Bridge, a vital transportation corridor on the Western Slope,” wrote Bennet and Hickenlooper. “The closure of this bridge for an indeterminate time presents a challenge to public safety, health, and our state’s economy.”

CDOT said the issue is with the T1 steel used on the bridge. Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera declared an emergency for the incident, allowing for more state resources to be used in fixing the bridge. In addition, the senators are seeking federal aid for the bridge closure.

Two bridges in Colorado use T1 steel, and the other is also on Blue Mesa Reservoir.

  • US 50 crack
    Identified crack on US 50 bridge near the Dillon Pinnacles, located west of Gunnison. This photo shows the crack after further investigation. (CDOT)
  • US 50 bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir - CDOT
    US 50 bridge crossing the Blue Mesa Reservoir near Dillon Pinnacles (Colorado Department of Transportation)
  • Lightweight scaffolding is now in place on the center span of the bridge, which expands the methods workers can safely and easily reach the underside of the bridge. (Courtesy the Colorado Department of Transportation)
    Lightweight scaffolding is now in place on the center span of the bridge, which expands the methods workers can safely and easily reach the underside of the bridge. (Courtesy the Colorado Department of Transportation)
  • Inspectors are removing paint and conducting ultrasonic testing on the underside of the bridge while tarps prevent debris from falling into the reservoir.
    Inspectors are removing paint and conducting ultrasonic testing on the underside of the bridge while tarps prevent debris from falling into the reservoir.
  • Inspectors continue conducting work on the US 50 middle bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir. (Courtesy the Colorado Department of Transportation)
    Inspectors continue conducting work on the US 50 middle bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir. (Courtesy the Colorado Department of Transportation)

However, the senators noted that the essential travel detour, which is on a seasonal, narrow dirt road, is also only available to local traffic twice a day, according to their letter.

“Gunnison County and CDOT went to great lengths, and incurred significant expenses, to open this road and provide relief in a matter of days,” Hickenlooper and Bennet wrote. “They continue to work to bolster this road to accommodate more traffic than the road is designed for. Those who need to cross the bridge for school, work, and medical services, and truckers who deliver fuel, food, and agricultural supplies are still without a direct highway route.”

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The senators are specifically seeking funding to support short-term management of detours and long-term bridge repair to restore full highway access.

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