Jennifer Livingston, Nederland. Originally, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) was going to have just one meeting, in Boulder, to communicate with canyon commuters about their improvement project. Fortunately, CDOT responded to pointed requests from Nederland officials and area residents to move the meeting to Nederland, given the impact the project has in the area. 

It was packed, standing room only, in the Nederland Community Center as Colorado State Senator Stephen Fenberg thanked attendees for their time, and Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT, introduced Dan Marcucci Project Director for their Colorado Highway 119 Boulder Canyon Improvement Project. 

CDOT had intended to have Marcucci present information on the current state of the project and possible options for completion before moving to break out groups and collecting comment cards. This was quickly shot down by the audience in favor of the presentation followed by question and answer.

Marcucci’s presentation (available on the CDOT website, projects page, October 7 public meeting materials) began with startling pictures of the 2013 flood, mudslide and rockslide damage mostly from Fourmile Canyon down to Boulder, the tightest areas in the canyon receiving the most damage. 

The devastation provided an opportunity to roll three projects into one including flood recovery, resurfacing, and Boulder County trail improvements including a 10 foot wide trail extension from Four Mile Canyon to Chapman Drive with a pedestrian tunnel near the old Red Lion Inn. The project was conceived with CDOT engineering and a single contractor.

Flood recovery engineering plans were created to withstand a 100 year flood, Marcucci suggested the 2013 flood was actually more of a 50 year event. The roadway areas impacted by the washout had longstanding safety concerns including limited sight distance, narrow roadways, insufficient surfacing, and rockfall. 

The plans for flood recovery, prevention and safety improvement, were to shift and widen the roadway, install rock armoring - essentially cemented rock along Boulder Creek to further reduce washouts, place rock catchment mesh and rock catchment ditches, reinstall guardrails and barricades, and resurface with an improved material designed to provide increased durability and friction for traction during inclement conditions. Striping, rumble strips and passing zones be returned to their original places.

Marcicchi explained that 50 years ago, engineers would place roadways on rock fill, which is washout prone. Roadways are now placed on solid bedrock. The process requires blasting to create a flat cutline perpendicular to the roadway. As rock is removed, bedrock is exposed, and the roadway straightens and widens, increasing sight distance and emergency access. 

The plan included five blast faces. Of those, area one is 100 percent complete, area two is 50 percent complete, area three is 60 percent complete, four and five have not been started. Marcucci planned to use bench blasting to remove an anticipated 41,000 cubic yards of rock. However, the project has required fan blasting producing 30,000 cubic yards of material so far, with an estimated 34,000 cubic yards remaining. 

Bench blasting involves drilling downward from a stable surface allowing the use of larger equipment, and larger blasts. Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, unexpected weathering, as well as fault and dirt lines, the rock has been crumbling, and a bench for blasting couldn’t be established. Instead, fan blasting requires drilling and blasting in from the side toward the desired flat cutline. Personnel have to create a narrow road using lifts or ropes for access, and manual tools for blasting, resulting in slower less predictable production. Marcucci stated the work is “geotechnically challenging, you’ve got to find natural joints for blasting, but you don’t really know until you get in there.”  Some in the audience questioned the premise that stable rock could be found. Marcucci explained that years of experience indicated a safe stable face could be found and that unstable portions could be secured.     

In addition to these challenges the project faces seasonal restrictions that extend the timeline further. Blasting must be done in warmer months due to snow and ice on north facing cliffs creating safety concerns. Rock armoring needs to be done during the winter when there is low flow, asphalt overlay needs to be completed by the end of September and occupied Golden Eagle nests need a half mile buffer during the spring. On the ecological note, CDOT assured attendees that the project was in compliance with a permit 404 from the Army Core of engineers and meeting requirements for water quality monitoring and dewatering conditions. 

Attempts to increase efficiency toward meeting the December 2020 timeline have included closing the canyon from 10a.m.- 2 p.m. instead of the original two hour morning and afternoon closures, but it’s not enough. The new timeline with the current traffic approach pushes completion to September 2021, a nine month extension that allows the original plan creating straighter lines of sight, wider roads much less susceptible to washout and much less rock fall. 

Marcucci then discussed some alternatives, seeking public input to create a plan that takes into account the myriad and sometimes conflicting needs of area residents and commuters. For example, reducing the excavation and or reducing the roadway reconstruction area will reduce the timeline but will also reduce the safety and resilience of the finished product. Despite the reduction in finished work quality there were many in the audience who agreed that CDOT “bit off more than it could chew” and should “dial down the scope of the project and bring it more on schedule.” 

Another option is to fully close the Canyon for 2-3 weeks which would allow crews to use bigger machinery, blast more, move around 2,000 cubic yards per day versus the 400 cubic yards per day they are able to do with only four hour closures. Closure would shave off about three months of project time and allow for completion of the original plan, but would have severe impacts on traffic. Such a closure would have to be planned, CDOT suggested during spring break when schools were not in session.  

Closing the canyon on weekends would also expedite work without impacting commuters which seemed to sit well with some in the audience while others were concerned about those business in Nederland which rely on tourist traffic and the impact that weekend closure could have on business. Further, many pointed out the impact the project has already had on business. CDOT did provide contact information for Susan House 303-892-3815 at the Office of Economic Development which may be able to provide loans but states that there are no other relief funds available to impacted businesses. 

Frequently asked questions were then displayed on the screen as the meeting moved to live question and answer controlled by a visibly challenged Lew. Questions and comments from the crowd ranged from obviously agitated to expressly grateful. Several people asked similar questions and are summarized below including CDOT answers.    

Q: Why isn’t Four Mile Canyon the detour route?

A: 8,000 - 10,000 cars make the commute each day which would gridlock Four Mile Canyon and cripple emergency response.

Q: Why are crews not working seven days a week? 

A:  The additional and unanticipated cost of flaggers. Also, blasting cannot be done at night. 

Q: Why is westbound cycling prohibited?

A: Bicycles cannot make it through the timed lights and will end up in head on traffic.  

Q: Leaf-peeper traffic was horrendous, but just wait until the snow season, CDOT has underestimated the impact of winter traffic and driving conditions. How will winter safety and traffic be addressed? 

A: We will speak with CDOT crews to make sure plows go slowly and safely through narrow roadways, crews will also apply additional sanding and maintain the canyon as a high priority.

Q: How are emergency services being maintained?

A: By keeping Four Mile Canyon clear to emergency vehicles and keeping emergency vehicles and personnel stationed above closures. If you have an emergency call 911.  

Q: Communication is an issue, there are closures we didn’t know about, there’s no way to find out live delay times so we can plan commutes, there has been ten minute closures with no alerts, etc. What will CDOT do to improve communication?

A: CDOT directed attendees to Text CO119 to 21000 to receive project text alerts, call 720-500-9912 for project information and to leave a message, email to CDOTCO119@gmail.com and to visit the CDOT website.

Q: Who is paying for the cost of removing additional rock?

A: Federal emergency relief funds.

Q: Can you install a cell tower so we can communicate with our children and report accidents?

A: CDOT does not install cell towers but thy could reach out and see if there are options. 

Q: Signals are an issue, sometimes people run them, and they fail to work properly. Also flaggers sometimes seem to let waves of traffic go in only one direction. What about smart signals?

A: CDOT cannot enforce traffic laws due to lack of officers, flaggers may be aware of traffic that drivers are not, the current signals are physically wired together and should be providing timed traffic control. CDOT may look into smart signals. 

Q: If we live on lower Magnolia or Sugarloaf, or if our children are assigned to a Boulder school can we get passes, and if so, how?

A: According to CDOT website as of 10/8/2019 only residents of Four Mile Canyon may have a permit to access their home from Nederland and may obtain a permit by calling the project hotline (720) 500-9912. 

Lew acknowledged that CDOT has final decision making power on the project plans and scope, but said “we are trying to engage everyone.” She also committed to better communication, another town meeting with further information on the different options for completing the project, and conducting an online poll to get a feeling for how residents wanted this project to come to completion. 

(Originally published in the October 10, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)