Emergency closure of highway 7 in Colorado for rockslide extended

Cleanup of the rockslide that closed Colorado 7 last Wednesday will continue through at least Friday, the Colorado Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.

Crews previously expected the rockslide that closed Colorado 7 from Colorado 72, near Allenspark, to U.S. 36 in Lyons to be cleared by Tuesday.

“We realize the inconvenience this has caused for the residents of the canyon,” Regional Transportation Director Heather Paddock stated in a Tuesday news release. “But this slide has loosened a lot more rock in this area and we need to get all of that down so it is safe for the traveling public when we reopen.

According to Paddock, Friday is the best estimate, but rain forecast for later this week could further extend the closure.

Crews plan on Tuesday to blast some of the larger boulders, described as the size of garbage trucks and one the size of a fire engine, and remove the smaller debris from the site.

Members of CDOT’s geohazards program continue to investigate the rockslide, including where it started and possible causes, and examine the highway and mountainside for unstable areas following the slide.

Updates for the closure will be posted to CoTrip.org as they are available.

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