Red Mountain Pass Could Open To 24/7 Traffic Soon
OURAY, Colo. (AP) - Crews working to stop a rock slide near U.S. Highway 550 over Red Mountain Pass near Ouray are expected to finish by Friday a 360-foot-long by 24-foot-high fence to keep more rocks from falling onto the roadway.
The Colorado Department of Transportation says the roadway will be open to 24/7 traffic once the installation is complete. Single-lane, alternating travel will continue in the area for the time being.
The road was closed after an initial slide onto the highway on Jan. 12.
The closure severed the only direct route from Ouray to Silverton, normally a 70-mile drive. A detour over Dallas Divide and Lizard Head Pass adds nearly 100 miles to the trip.
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