August 8, 2008
Construction Begins on I-70 Black Gore Creek
Sand Storage Area – West Vail Pass
EAGLE COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation will start the Black Gore Creek Sediment Removal project on Friday, August 15. Traction sand from I-70 has accumulated within a pond in Black Gore Creek, which runs along the south side of the interstate. This project, a joint effort between CDOT and US Forest Service, will remove the sand and restore the area as closely as possible to its original state. This work, scheduled for completion on October 31, was contracted to American West Construction, LLC.
“Removal of the sand will improve water quality in the creek, which in turn will benefit aquatic wildlife,” CDOT Resident Engineer Martha Miller said. “The entire watershed will benefit as a result.”
The work involves excavating sand within Black Gore Creek and constructing a sand-storage area near East Vail close to the new chain-down station.
TRAFFIC IMPACTS - The Vail Pass / Tenmile Canyon National Recreation Trail (formerly US 6) will be restricted to one lane during working hours from the CDOT access gate to the sand removal area (a distance of approximately 1 mile). This path is restricted to bicycles and pedestrians. Two-way bicycle and pedestrian traffic will share the open lane during sand-removal operations between the hours of 6:30 AM and 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Also, there may be brief delays for motorized traffic on the frontage road at the sand-storage area.
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