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Massive Boulders Crash Onto Southwestern Colorado Highway

RICO, Colo. (CBS4) - The Colorado Department of Transportation says Highway 145 in Rico will be closed until further notice after large boulders came crashing down Friday night. The slide is between Cortez and Telluride.

Rico Rock Slide 7 (CDOT FB)
(credit: CDOT)
Rico Rock Slide 11 (City of Ouray FB)
(credit: City of Ouray)

Crews say the debris left a trench about eight feet deep across both lanes making the road dangerous to drivers.

Rico Rock Slide 10 (CDOT FB)
(credit: CDOT)

No one was hurt.

Officials say one boulder weighs 2.3 million lbs. and another weighs 8.5 million lbs.

Rico Rock Slide (san miguel sheriff tweet) 1
(credit: San Miguel Sheriff)

"A boulder, the size of a building, which remains embedded on the highway needs to be blasted into smaller pieces in order to move it off the roadway," CDOT said.

Crews are working on clearing the road. The San Miguel Sheriff's Office say Highway 145 is closed indefinitely.

Officials say drivers will have to take a detour on Dove Creek, Slick Rock and Norwood which is expected to take more than four hours of driving time.

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