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State patrol said Sunday traffic on Interstate 70 in East Vail is now moving smoothly after state transportation officials opened four lanes on the westbound lane of the highway.
The highway has been under repairs for two weeks after a culvert under I-70 broke creating a 22-foot-wide sinkhole, paralyzing traffic on the highway for several days and flooding parts of East Vail.
The Colorado Department of Transportation finished repairs on the westbound lane of the highway and on Friday night switched traffic there to repair the eastbound lane, CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said Sunday.
"Because we made the westbound lane wide enough, we can have two lanes in both directions," Stegman said. "The two new additional lanes make a big difference."
Stegman estimated it will take from two to three more weeks to finish the repairs. The total cost could be anywhere between $2 million and $5 million, she said.
"Since we opened the four lanes we don't need the contractor to be there 24 hours a day," she said. "We don't have a definite price. It's higher when we require 24-hour work."
Gov. Bill Owens signed an authorization Friday declaring the sinkhole an emergency site, opening the door for funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the United States Department of Transportation. By law, the state must pass a spending threshold of $700,000 before federal money begins flowing. The emergency fund is the same that paid for avalanche blasting along I-70 in Clear Creek County in March, after a blizzard closed the interstate.
Meantime, state patrol is enforcing a 35 mph maximum speed limit in the construction area.
"Fines are doubled in construction zones," said Sgt. George Dingfelder on Sunday. "And we're enforcing it very strictly."
Rain and runoff from heavy snow caused the Bighorn Creek in East Vail to overran its banks on June 1 washing out a culvert and opening the sinkhole about four miles east of Vail.
Christine Ina Casillas contributed to this story.
Veronica Whitney can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 454, or at vwhitney@vaildaily.com."
The highway has been under repairs for two weeks after a culvert under I-70 broke creating a 22-foot-wide sinkhole, paralyzing traffic on the highway for several days and flooding parts of East Vail.
The Colorado Department of Transportation finished repairs on the westbound lane of the highway and on Friday night switched traffic there to repair the eastbound lane, CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said Sunday.
"Because we made the westbound lane wide enough, we can have two lanes in both directions," Stegman said. "The two new additional lanes make a big difference."
Stegman estimated it will take from two to three more weeks to finish the repairs. The total cost could be anywhere between $2 million and $5 million, she said.
"Since we opened the four lanes we don't need the contractor to be there 24 hours a day," she said. "We don't have a definite price. It's higher when we require 24-hour work."
Gov. Bill Owens signed an authorization Friday declaring the sinkhole an emergency site, opening the door for funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the United States Department of Transportation. By law, the state must pass a spending threshold of $700,000 before federal money begins flowing. The emergency fund is the same that paid for avalanche blasting along I-70 in Clear Creek County in March, after a blizzard closed the interstate.
Meantime, state patrol is enforcing a 35 mph maximum speed limit in the construction area.
"Fines are doubled in construction zones," said Sgt. George Dingfelder on Sunday. "And we're enforcing it very strictly."
Rain and runoff from heavy snow caused the Bighorn Creek in East Vail to overran its banks on June 1 washing out a culvert and opening the sinkhole about four miles east of Vail.
Christine Ina Casillas contributed to this story.
Veronica Whitney can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 454, or at vwhitney@vaildaily.com."
