U.S. 50 bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir fully reopens

Updated, 1:44 p.m.

After being closed for seven months — and reopening partially in July — the U.S. 50 Middle Bridge has reopened — restoring a key route for communities surrounding Blue Mesa Reservoir.

The bridge linking Gunnison and Montrose has been closed to the public since April after multiple cracks were found during a special inspection. After repairs, the bridge partially reopened with one lane in July and reopened for larger and commercial vehicles on that lane in October. Now the bridge has fully reopened.

“We appreciate the community’s patience and support throughout these past several months,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said in a statement. “We know this bridge closure posed a very challenging situation for many people throughout southwest Colorado, and your resilience and understanding were crucial in helping us get to this point and we are pleased to have it open for business before winter shutdown.”

Crews installed 250 tons of steel plate with over 25,000 bolts to repair the structure. While the repairs were being made, a lengthy, dirt-road detour was in place.

The closure of the bridge directly impacted residents and businesses surrounding the area — including Curecanti National Recreation Area, a park that surrounds multiple reservoirs, including Blue Mesa, and spans over 43,000 acres. 

“The Elk Creek visitor center typically sees almost 10,000 visitors annually,” said Lori Rome, chief public information officer for the recreation area, in a statement. “And this year it is but a fragment of that.”

So far, the park has received just over 3,000 visitors. And Rome says that while detours were made available, the closure of the bridge “was impactful.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. 50 Lake Fork Bridge — located about 5 miles west of the Middle Bridge — remains limited to one lane. According to CDOT, full two-lane access is expected to resume in December.