As of Nov. 10, three roads in southwestern Colorado remain fully closed: US 160 at Wolf Creek Pass, US 160 at the Piedra River bridge, and CO 151 south of Chimney Rock. Crews from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) are working to reopen them.
CDOT expects to reopen Wolf Creek Pass within a week, weather permitting. That would allow the Wolf Creek ski area to resume operations. The team expects limited traffic to begin moving over the pass as early as this weekend.
A second wave of rainfall, on Nov. 1, caused serious damage in several new places along the 26-mile mountain stretch between Pagosa Springs and South Fork. On the east side of the pass, in the area of The Narrows, crews are rebuilding sections of roadway that were undercut and washed out by the river.
On CO 151 between Pagosa Springs and Durango, floodwaters completely washed away two sections of roadway south of Chimney Rock National Monument. Work on a detour is expected to be finished before Thanksgiving. Drivers should expect speed restrictions and worker-directed traffic in the work zones.
Repairs to US 160 between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs will take longer. CDOT regional director Julie Constan said a temporary bridge there will likely not be ready until late December or early January. The bridge over the Piedra River must be completely rebuilt because its piers collapsed during the flooding. Repairs to some sections are not expected to be finished until early 2027.
Detours are in place until the roads reopen. According to CDOT’s figures from early November, the detour from Denver to Pagosa Springs takes about 8 hours. From Pagosa Springs to Durango, for essential travel only, the detour takes about two and a half hours. Drivers should check CDOT’s latest announcements before setting out.
The governor’s office said state agencies are working in the flooded areas, conducting search-and-rescue operations and road repairs, and restoring basic services. Gov. Jared Polis encouraged Coloradans to visit the region once the roads reopen to support the local economy.
Source: Denver Post, CPR News, 9News
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