Weld County
Department of Public Works
June 2016 Newsletter
Weld County Road 49 Corridor Project
WCR 49 Corridor Safety and Traffic Control
Now that the majority of the design work is complete for the
WCR 49 Corridor Project, Interstate Highway Construction
(IHC) will start construction on the south end of the corridor
this month. To minimize traffic delays, the corridor will remain
open during construction, and 12-foot lanes will be provided
for motorists to navigate in each direction at a reduced
speed through the construction zone. Also, any single-lane
operations, which typically require a flagger, will be scheduled
during off-peak traffic periods. With these methods, Weld
County and IHC have a goal of limiting queue times to no more
than 15 minutes. If you experience delays that exceed the
15-minute timeframe, please notify staff by calling the WCR 49
Information Hotline at 970-573-6800.
Monthly Project Achievements
May 2016—Mobilization of earthwork
equipment at Box Elder Creek
May 2016—Sprint began relocation
of fiber-optic communication lines
along the WCR 49 Corridor
Anticipated Project Milestones
June 2016—Right-of-way
acquisitions to be finalized
June 2016—Box Elder Creek
channel grading and H-pile
installation
Contact Information
website:www.weldgov.com
email:
[email protected]
WeldCountyGovernment
A crew member controls traffic flow through a one-lane road
closure while construction activities are conducted. Please reduce
your speed and use caution when approaching these zones.
@WeldGov
WeldCountyCO
970•573•6800
Weld County Department of Public Works
Weld County Road 49 Corridor Project
WCR 49 Railroad Crossing Exempt Status
Update
Travelers along the WCR 49 Corridor will notice
new “exempt” signs installed at the Union Pacific
Railroad Crossing near the intersection of WCR
49 and WCR 54 as the railroad tracks in this area
have been dormant for many years. As of May 11,
2016, the railroad crossing exempt signage allows
hazardous materials trucks to proceed through the
crossing without having to come to a complete
stop. Previously, hazardous materials vehicles were
required to stop at the crossing, which impacted
traffic flow along this section of WCR 49. The Weld
County Department of Public Works communicated
this new action to the trucking community to ensure
heavy truck operators understand they no longer
need to stop at this particular railroad crossing.
The county worked with the Union Pacific Railroad
Company and the Colorado Public Utility Commission
to classify the crossing as exempt.
The new signage posted
at the Union Pacific
Railroad crossing, near
the intersection of WCR
49 and WCR 54, declaring
hazardous materials trucks
as exempt from coming
to a complete stop at the
crossing. The railroad
warning signs also are
marked with exempt
signage.
Box Elder Creek Bridge Construction
Recently, IHC mobilized construction equipment
at the crossing of WCR 49 at Box Elder Creek
to construct a new bridge. Prior to building any
structure, construction crews will clear and grade
the area to create a workable construction zone.
Removing vegetation and maintaining a flat surface
for crews and equipment makes any construction
activity an easier and safer task. Once the clearing
and grading are complete, crews will start channel
grading and H-pile installation.
To give the new bridge a solid foundation, H-shaped
steel beams known as H-piles are driven deep into
the ground using a process called pile driving. Pile
drivers are large hydraulic machines that pound a
heavy weight repeatedly onto the H-piles to push
them into the ground. The process is very similar to a
hammer hitting a nail. The H-piles are typically driven
into the ground until they reach bedrock or achieve
a specific resistance, which will provide the strength
needed to support the bridge and the heavy vehicles
traveling over it.
The current mobilization of construction equipment at Box
Elder Creek. Crews have been assembling concrete safety
barriers and preparing to construct the new Box Elder
Creek Bridge.
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