Southwestern Colorado — A week prior to Colorado Department of Transportation’s repair of a runaway truck ramp, Colorado State Patrol held a commercial vehicle safety check operation at the summit of US Highway 50 Monarch Pass located between Gunnison and Poncha Springs. CSP troopers alerted truckers of the eastbound ramp closure located at mile point 204 (Sept. 12 through the end of October) and advised them to use extreme caution while traveling over mountain passes.
“With the scheduled ramp closure, we want to really emphasize to truck drivers to check their brakes, use their gears appropriately, and slow down on the pass,” stated Master Sergeant Dave Evridge of CSP's Motor Carrier Safety Division.
During last week’s safety check operations, CSP diverted all eastbound commercial trucks weighing over 10,001 pounds through a checkpoint at the pass summit where troopers informed truckers of the upcoming ramp closure, performed inspections, and ensured drivers were prepared to continue the route down the mountain pass safely.
CSP will conduct intermittent safety check operations and more frequent patrols on Monarch pass during the two-month construction period. CDOT has placed additional signage along the route to warn semi-truck drivers of the ramp closure and construction impacts. Permanent signage along this US 50 route notifies drivers of the 6% grade and reads, “Trucks Stay in Lower Gear.”
“We urge all drivers to practice the utmost caution and understand the steepness of mountain passes in our region. Know the road, obey the speed limit, anticipate curves, and utilize safe driving practices to keep control of your vehicle,” stated Julie Constan, Region 5 Transportation Director.
The speed limit for eastbound traffic will be reduced to 25 mph. CDOT urges commercial truck drivers and passenger vehicle drivers to use extreme caution when traveling eastbound on the east side of the pass. Most work will take place off of the highway, with only limited traffic stops to accommodate periodic movement of equipment or materials.
Watch the informative YouTube video about the Monarch Pass emergency ramp at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMJ66uaskl4
Earlier this summer, maintenance crews performed a temporary repair of the eastbound Monarch Pass truck ramp after a sinkhole developed due to a failed culvert. CDOT in partnership with Bechtolt Engineering and Williams Construction are replacing the existing corrugated metal pipe that conveys the South Arkansas River under the truck ramp. The new reinforced concrete pipe and headwall design will decrease the velocity of water flow, lowering the risk of erosion and prolonging the life of the structure. Guardrails and overhead signage will be upgraded to comply with current standards. The project completion is set for late October.
For additional information about this project:
Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:
The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.
The new FREE COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!