Larimer County Road and Bridge is in the process of improving 2 miles of Larimer County Road 70, aka Owl Canyon Road, between County Road 19, aka North Taft Hill, and CR 15, aka Terry Lake Road.  The good news is that they’ll be adding 6-8′ wide shoulders, the bad news is that it’s going to take until late summer for them to complete the project. The current completion date is 09/20/2019.  As noted in the map below (highlighted in green and orange), there are two good options for avoiding the closure (highlighted in red). I previewed both detours yesterday and the dirt is in good condition and shouldn’t pose a problem for riders on road tires.

Riders taking part in Wednesday Night Worlds should take note of the suggested detours as the closure effects all WNWs routes. On the map below, the purple line shows the original Classic, Short and Owl Canyon Dirt Dairy Dams routes. Green is the suggested Classic Route detour. Orange is the suggested Short and OCD detour. As mentioned, the dirt is in great shape and shouldn’t be an issue. 

 

Note there is a new four-way stop at the CR 15 and CR72 intersection. 

 

From the Larimer County Road and Bridge Website

 

SCOPE OF WORK
The project includes 2 miles of roadway widening and reconstruction of CR 70 from the roundabout at CR 19 to the intersection of CR 15. The two-lane roadway will accommodate 6 to 8 feet wide paved shoulders. Two road crossings of the North Poudre Irrigation Ditch are planned for replacement with new pre-cast concrete box culverts within this corridor. The first being located directly north of CR 70 on CR 17 and the second between CR 17 and CR 15. Intersection improvements at CR 15 are not proposed with this phase.

 

PROJECT STATUS
Larimer County hired an engineering consulting firm, Interwest, to design and prepare construction plans. The Northern Colorado Water Association bored their new crossings under the North Poudre Irrigation Canal in April 2018. Environmental investigation and clearances are complete. Final design is complete. All of the additional right-of-way and easements necessary for the road widening has been acquired from adjacent landowners.. Larimer County advertised the project for a bid solicitation on October 9, 2018. Bids were opened on November 8, 2018. Contracts have been awarded to the low bidder, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

The buried gas main has been relocated at the east end of the project near CR 15. Various other utility relocations (buried phone, overhead electric power, and 2 water mains) are ongoing in 2019.

The preliminary design was presented at an open house held on February 22, 2018, at the Eyestone Elementary School Gymnasium in Wellington. Another open house was held on August 29, 2018, at the Leeper Center in Wellington to present the planned two-mile construction closure of CR 70 and detour route along CR 72 between CR 19 and CR 15.

Project Budget: $5,400,000. The project will be funded entirely by Larimer County.

 

CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE AND INFORMATION
Work began on the CR 72 Detour on January 7th, 2019, and lasted approximately two weeks. The detour route will be along CR 72 between CR 19 and CR 15. CR 70 between CR 19 and CR 15 will be closed as crews remove and replace the two bridges and reconstruct the two miles of roadway. The CR 70 Closure began on January 17, 2019, and will last until late Summer / early Fall 2019.

Through traffic will not be allowed across the two bridges or within the two miles of CR 70 during construction.

Residents and landowners will have driveway access to their properties at all times (other than periodic minor delays) within the CR 70 closure limits during the project. Garbage collection services and delivery services will also be allowed access.

 

Map of construction and suggested detours

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