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27th Street Bridge set to close from Thursday through Monday

A cyclist makes her way across the cross walk while traffic backs up through the 27th Street Roundabout on Wednesday afternoon.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent

The structurally deficient and functionally obsolete 27th Street Bridge in Glenwood Springs has officially reached the end of its life cycle.

“It is going to be a big milestone for the project and the community,” said Bryana Starbuck, 27th Street Bridge Project public information manager.

CLOSURE SCHEDULE



Beginning 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, and lasting through 6 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16, the 27th Street Bridge, South Grand Avenue intersection and Atkinson Trail will close to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. Additionally, portions of the Roaring Fork River near the construction site will also shut down to river users.

During the 84-hour closure crews will work around the clock to deconstruct the existing bridge in order to slide the newly built one into place.



DETOURS

“The main detours we are talking about are for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, and river users,” Starbuck said.

Eighth Street will serve as the designated detour route for motorists needing to cross the Roaring Fork River whereas pedestrians and cyclists should use the Old Cardiff or 14th Street bridges.

Roaring Fork River users must eddy-out at or before Three Mile Creek or put in farther downstream from the 27th Street Bridge, Starbuck explained.

According to Lt. John Hassell, no significant traffic accidents had occurred on the 27th Street Bridge or South Grand Avenue intersection in the last few months. Additionally, Hassell said that the Glenwood Springs Police Department would station an officer Friday morning at Eighth Street and Midland Avenue to assist motorists through the detour route.

SPECTATORS STAY AWAY

The bridge slide, which will occur during the 84-hour closure, has garnered quite a bit of interest among the community. However, project officials have warned the public to obey all closures and to avoid attempting to see the slide due to safety concerns.

“I know people are pretty excited to see the slide but it is going to be pretty boring,” said Jessica Bowser, assistant city engineer.

According to Bowser, the new traffic bridge will slide into place at a rate of approximately 6 inches an hour.

“The actual slide will take almost a whole day I believe,” Bowser said.

MONDAY MORNING

Should all go according to plan, when the 27th Street Bridge does reopen Monday morning its neighboring pedestrian bridge will remain closed for at least a few more weeks, Starbuck explained.

However, cyclists and pedestrians may utilize the newly slid into place traffic bridge, too — at least until the new pedestrian bridge does open.

“We will just create a pathway on the new traffic bridge for folks to be able to get across on the side of the bridge,” Starbuck said. “It will look similar to what is out there now.”

NEXT STEPS

Although the bridge slide marks a milestone in the 27th Street Bridge Project, it does not mark the end of the project.

“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Bowser said. “We still have a roundabout to construct. We still have landscaping and masonry and the final connections for the utilities to make.”

The entire 27th Street Bridge Project has an anticipated completion date of December 2019.

STAY IN THE KNOW

For the most up-to-date project information residents may sign up for ConeZone email updates by contacting the project team at 27thStreetBridge@gmail.com or by calling or texting (970) 618-5379.

mabennett@postindependent.com


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