Highway 24 open in both directions following severe flooding

CDOT said Highway 24 is back open from Manitou Springs to Crystola following damaging flash flooding and mudslides Monday afternoon.The highway will compress to one lane near the area where a mudslide forced the closure of the road Monday afternoon.At milemarker 291, traffic is being put in a head-to-head configuration in the eastbound lanes because mud and debris still covers the westbound lanes.The highway was shut down from a mudslide just north of Cascade as a slow moving severe thunderstorm moved in a little after 3 p.m. Monday. The City of Manitou Springs activated flood sirens around 4 p.m. when flood waters from that thunderstorm cascaded down from the Waldo Canyon burn scar. The storm dropped heavy rain and large hail in the area for a half hour, creating ideal conditions for extreme flash flooding.The heavy rains forced residents living along Fountain Creek in Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City to seek higher ground as the flood waters raged downstream.Emergency officials said they sent emergency notifications to 450 homes along the Ute Pass area for people to seek higher ground. Authorities also evacuated the Garden of the Gods RV Park in Manitou Springs and closed WB Colorado Avenue for some time at 30th Street in Old Colorado City.North Cheyenne Cañon Park and Gold Camp Road inside the park will be closed Tuesday due to flooding and debris removal. City officials expect the park to reopen Tuesday afternoon.Near Bust on HWY 24. Mud is about three feet deep covering all westbound lanes. #COWx pic.twitter.com/vaba7rrLHc— Cdr. Greg Couch, PIO (@TCSOPIO) July 24, 2018There is an evacuation center open at the Congregational Church at 103 Pawnee Avenue in Manitou Springs. County officials told people to go to the shelter by using Deer Path Avenue and then to take a right on High Street due to accessibility concerns from floodwaters.The second shelter is now closed in Colorado Springs, however the Rescue Mission will be open to all homeless individuals. The City of Colorado Springs said no one will be turned away Monday night.@KOAA at McDonalds off of 30th and Hwy 24— high water levels under bridge pic.twitter.com/yyCaVPZpuD— Alasyn KOAA 5 (@alasynzimmerman) July 23, 2018