6,000 Foam Blocks Will Help U.S. 36 Open In October
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4)- Construction crews updated CBS4 on the reconstruction of US 36. Repairs to the road are expected to be finished in October.
The Colorado Department of Transportation and its contractor, Kraemer North America, have been working since last week to rebuild the eastbound wall. They've built a rock foundation and now they'll install "Geofoam."
A total of 6,000 blocks of geofoam will shore up the roadway.
Geofoam is a lightweight backfill that will reduce the pressure and stress to the underlying soil.
Crews will be working seven days a week to complete repairs safely and swiftly. Two travel lanes remain open in each direction on the westbound side during daytime hours.
CDOT officials say U.S. 36 is safe to travel and is being monitored at all times. During the permanent construction phase, crews will work up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in 12-hour shifts to complete the emergency rebuild project.
KEY FACTS:
• The roadway started to crack July 11-12 and the cracks got significantly worse as the roadway shifted, causing the part of the road to cave in and the retaining wall to fall apart.
• The westbound side and adjacent bridge in the area are safe and in good condition. The bridge has its own support system entirely, with a steel concrete foundation that goes deep into the bedrock. The bridge has been separated from the damaged section of the roadway by CDOT's bridge crew.
• The damage is isolated to a specific area of eastbound US 36.
• In an abundance of caution, the survey team continues to monitor the damaged section of roadway. Surveys show there continues to be no movement on the westbound side. It is stable and safe for traffic.
• The bike path over the railroad bridge is also closed for safety reasons. A detour is in place.
• The new traffic shift is in place on the westbound side. The Express Lane and shoulder in this area are operating as general purpose lanes for eastbound traffic (No tolls are applied to this section, but Express Lanes are operating as normal outside of the traffic configuration)
• Travel in this area will be slower than usual, so motorists are advised to expect some delays and give themselves extra time when traveling the corridor during peak periods.
