CUSTER COUNTY — UPDATE - The Custer County Sheriff's Office tells News 5 that Highway 96 has reopened.
CO 96 EB/WB: Road open between CO 165 and Smith Creek. Road is now open to all traffic.
— CDOT (@ColoradoDOT) July 23, 2019
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Powerful storms and a rockslide caused road closures in the Wetmore area on Monday and it stopped dozens of people from getting to Westcliffe.
Those with the Wetmore Volunteer Fire Department said on Monday night that they had no idea when Highway 96 at County Road 387 would reopen. A rockslide happened about four miles up the road. Most drivers trying to make it to Westcliffe just had to turn around.
Driver Bill Wilson said, "We came down and stayed in Westcliffe for a week. We went over to Colorado Springs. Coming back we find out the road back to Westcliffe is now closed so we're going to have to find an alternate route which there's no simple way to get back and of course we're going to be lost."
The Custer County Sheriff's Office says alternate routes include taking County Road 387 or Highway 50 to Highway 69.
Emergency crews say the Colorado Department of Transportation has to get to this area with equipment and clear the roadway before it can reopen.
