Colorado Ave. bridge widening continues

       Anyone driving on Colorado Avenue under I-25 these days must be noticing some heavy-equipment activity and interesting changes to the interstate bridge and the surrounding terrain. Bill Badger of Rockrimmon Constructors was asked to help decipher this recent photo of COSMIX work (shot from the Midland Trail footbridge over Monument Creek) at the Colorado Avenue/I-25 bridges. His explanation is summarized below: The white on the embankment at left is plastic sheeting used for soil erosion. The vertical metal in front of it, called sheet piling, has been driven into the ground in case the embankment slips because the slope there is known to be unstable. The bronze I-beams in the middle have been driven into place to help support the foundation for the northbound bridge, whose eastern side will be 62 feet east of the current bridge. The yellow crane is lifting concrete panels into place for the walls. Extending down the middle of the avenue is what will be the bridge’s center pier. Westside Pioneer photo        The work is related to the $150 million Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) widening project also known as COSMIX.
       According to Bill Badger of project contractor Rockrimmon Constructors, the work will extend the bridge to the east 62 feet, where it will be supported behind - and cantilevered above - a retaining wall that will be built above Monument Creek.
       The new interstate space will provide room for eight lanes instead of the current four. Only three of those lanes on each side will be used for now; the fourth will become a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane in the future.
       The photo accompanying this article contains information about specific aspects of the Colorado Avenue bridge work.

Westside Pioneer article