About 2,000 cubic yards of rock fell near McClure pass, closing Highway 133 yesterday.Colorado Department of Transportation maintenance crews are quickly working with contractors to clear away rockfall material and further stabilize the mountainside on Colorado Highway 133 south of McClure Pass, according to a news release.At approximately 6:30 Wednesday morning, about 2,000 cubic yards of rock came down onto the highway near mile marker 29, with the biggest chunk measuring 15 by 100 feet. CDOT closed the highway shortly thereafter.Hotchkiss contractor Rundle Construction will begin work today to excavate the site and break up rock material in the road so that it can be hauled away. On Friday, Yenter Companies of Arvada will begin work to mitigate further rockfall at the site. A crane with a man-basket will be utilized while the slope on either side of the rockfall site is drilled and blasted. Crews anticipate bringing down an additional 2,000 cubic yards of material to be hauled away. “Once we complete this work, we’ll evaluate the damage to the rock face and to the highway before we open a lane,” said CDOT Deputy Maintenance Superintendent Del French in the news release. “We’ll do our best to open at least a single lane for travelers, but not until it is safe to do so. It may be at least a week before we can do that – but we’ll keep everyone notified as our work progresses.”Crews will work from dawn to dark, seven days a week, to get the highway open. Visit http://www.cotrip.org and check Alerts and Restrictions for updates, or call 511 toll-free from anywhere in the state.Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO