The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has formally asked the Federal Highway Administration for $65 million in emergency relief to repair flood-wrecked highways across southwest Colorado — the money phase of a disaster Awaaz Punjab has followed since evacuations began on October 22 and Governor Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency across 11 counties. In its letter to Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster, CDOT also asked Washington to release $6.5 million — 10 percent of the total — immediately through the FHWA Emergency Relief programme's “quick release” process so crews can start work before winter, and noted the state Transportation Commission has already approved $5 million in state emergency funds.

Source: CDOT via EIN Presswire

The request was made on Wednesday, October 28, CDOT confirmed in its release. It covers three federal-aid roadways that took significant structural damage in the storms of October 22–25: US Highway 160, US Highway 550 and Colorado Highway 151. The $65 million figure is preliminary — high water has kept crews from fully inspecting bridges and other structures, and CDOT expects a more accurate estimate in eight to ten weeks, with further funding requests possible as assessments continue.

Source: North Denver Tribune

Highway by highway: what is broken

US 160 — Wolf Creek Pass between Pagosa Springs and South Fork reopened at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, but the damage underneath is serious: a failed culvert, a damaged retaining wall and a roadway undercut by the Rio Grande. West of Pagosa Springs, one-way alternating traffic is in place, and inspections confirmed it was safe to reopen the US 160 Four Corners Bridge at 6:20 p.m. on October 27 — both reopenings came after CDOT's letter to FHWA had been sent. Local reporting adds that travellers near The Narrows east of South Fork and near Treasure Falls should allow up to an extra hour.

Source: CDOT via EIN Presswire

US 550 — on Red Mountain Pass between Ironton and Silverton, a washed-out embankment and shoulder are being stabilised and the highway is open to one-lane alternating traffic. CDOT Southwest Transportation Director Julie Constan said crews got US 550 open over the weekend by stopping the damage being done by a plugged culvert and designing a safe one-lane access. CO 151 was washed out in two places, near mile points 27 and 30; CDOT is planning a temporary access road for residents and emergency responders first, followed by permanent reconstruction, with temporary repairs begun on October 26.

Source: CDOT via EIN Presswire

Five other state highways closed during the storms — US 285, CO 112, CO 17, CO 145 and US 550 at the Bondad Bridge — and all have since reopened. In the San Luis Valley, residents are being warned that even where evacuation orders have ended, standing water and damaged access routes remain hazardous, and flood damage also hit roads inside the Rio Grande National Forest.

Source: The San Luis Valley Beat

What officials say

Governor Jared Polis said: “Colorado is taking swift action to help Southwest Colorado communities respond to and recover from this dangerous flooding. I mobilized nearly 100 National Guard members for evacuations and search and rescue and the Transportation Commission approved $5 million in state emergency funds to help repair roads and restore access to communities. The State is requesting federal support to help us quickly make repairs before winter so Coloradans can safely reach home, work, and school.” Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency on October 22 for La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores, Hinsdale, San Miguel, Ouray, San Juan, Mineral, Alamosa and Rio Grande counties.

Source: CDOT via EIN Presswire

CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said the department is “working around the clock to get critical roadways like US Highway 550, US Highway 160, and Colorado Highway 151 open as soon as it is safe and possible,” and called FHWA “a tremendous partner” in emergencies. Transportation Commissioner Barbara H. McLachlan said CDOT is submitting the request “to begin the process of seeking emergency relief funds to fix roads and bridges,” and Constan added: “Some of the damage will take time to permanently repair. We are in it for the long haul.”

Source: CDOT via EIN Presswire

Background: why these three highways matter so much

Southwest Colorado's mountain geography leaves its towns with few alternative routes: US 160 over Wolf Creek Pass and US 550 over Red Mountain Pass are lifeline corridors for Pagosa Springs, Silverton, Ouray and the San Luis Valley, carrying residents, school traffic, freight and winter tourism. When both are reduced to one alternating lane — and CO 151 is cut in two places — detours are measured in hours, not minutes, which is why the state is racing to make repairs before winter snow closes the window for construction at altitude. CDOT maintains more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,400 bridges and 35 mountain passes statewide. The request also lands in a politically charged national debate over how quickly federal disaster aid moves to Democratic-led states, the North Denver Tribune reported — FHWA did not immediately respond to that paper's request for comment on the timeline.

Source: North Denver Tribune

For truckers — including the Punjabi drivers who run freight through the Four Corners region — the practical advice from CDOT is to “know before you go”: check current road conditions on CDOT's COtrip planner before heading into the southwest, expect alternating-lane delays on US 160 and US 550, treat CO 151 as closed to through traffic near mile points 27 and 30, obey work-zone speed limits and never drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.