GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — A Wednesday morning rockfall closed U.S. Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray.
According to Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Communications Manager for Southwest Colorado Lisa Schwantes, the corridor reopened at 11:30 a.m.
Schwantes describes the size of the fallen rock to be as big as a dump truck, saying it was "too large for one of our front-end loaders to just move it off of the highway."
CDOT crews learned of the rockfall at 2:30 a.m. and began work to remove the rock as soon as day broke.
The crew drilled holes and placed explosives in the rock to fracture it and make moving it easier.
Colorado is prone to freeze-thaw cycles that could have played a role in Wednesday's rockfall.
"What happens is you have moisture and water that gets into the cracks and crevasses of a cliff wall," said Schwantes. "When that moisture freezes it expands and then when it melts it, of course, leaves an opening or a gap in that rock."
If you do plan to travel the Colorado mountain corridor know the weather conditions and road conditions and keep in mind that weather conditions can change in an instant. So, drive to the conditions.
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