MANITOU SPRINGS — Recent rainfall is worsening erosion along Highway 24, raising new concerns about road safety and infrastructure stability in the area.
News5 has been following the situation since last month, when the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and city leaders said maintenance crews would be working along the highway to address the problem. However, the additional moisture has caused the erosion damage to spread even further.
Some viewers told News5 they’ve seen city crews and law enforcement on-site, working to stabilize the affected areas. The challenge now is whether those efforts can keep up with the continued rain.
News5 has reached out to the Colorado Department of Transportation about what work is being done, they sent us the following statements:
- CDOT Maintenance Patrols are aware of the erosion and have evaluated the areas of concern.
- The CDOT Region 2 Hydraulics Engineer is evaluating the area and determining a long-term solution to mitigate erosion - each area of concern may require a different solution.
- Eroded areas along US 24 from Chipita Park to Manitou Springs were last addressed in late July. Crews will be out between rain storms this week and next to address current areas of concern.
- The safety of the traveling public is our number one priority.
CDOT says that people can expect right lane closures in the coming weeks as work begins.
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