As the Grand Avenue Bridge work is underway, Garfield County is trying to address another location where the roadway is vulnerable to river runoff.
Workers with heavy equipment are rearranging boulders and the shoreline of the Crystal River, underneath the bridge on Thompson Creek Road. It’s on the western edge of Carbondale and the bridge is what’s called “scour critical.” That means lots of river runoff could scrape away too much of the piers and other key parts of the bridge, making it unsafe.
For several weeks, workers will continue to put boulders and sandbags in the river, protecting piers, abutments and footers, to make sure they don’t get worn down too much more. The work does not change private access to the Crystal River in that area.
Two other Garfield County bridges are getting similar work done, one in Silt, the other near Battlement Mesa. All three projects together cost $288,000.
