US Hwy 50 Bridge Closure
US Hwy 50 Bridge Closure – Lake City Visitor Information
Updated May 21, 2024
New information is continually being released, so check back often for the latest information.
A safety closure is in place for a bridge on US Highway 50 located west of Gunnison and affects travel between Montrose and Lake City.
Lake City is accessible from Gunnison and Creede on Hwy 149 with no closures.
Allow 2-3 hours for travel to / from Montrose and Lake City.
About the Closure: CDOT closed the bridge at the urging of the Federal Highway Administration and state bridge engineering experts due to the findings of an ongoing safety inspection, which identified anomalies in the bridge on Thursday, April 18. The closure is in place at US 50 Mile Point 131 (intersection with Colorado Highway 92) to MP 138. A bypass on County Road 26 (CR 26 also known as the Lake City Cutoff) will be open multiple times per day in each direction for local public travel. Continue reading for piloted release times and more information.
County Road 26 (Lake City Cutoff) Detour Information
A bypass on County Road 26 (CR 26, also known as the Lake City Cutoff) will be open multiple times per day in each direction for local public travel. This bypass is open to anyone traveling to Lake City. CR 26 is a high mountain native surface and gravel road.
To maintain this as a viable, safe bypass, traffic will be managed using pilot vehicles at certain times of day. (Schedule below)
It takes approximately 45 minutes to get to the westbound queue from Lake City. It takes approximately 50 minutes to get to the eastbound queue from Montrose.
Allow 2-3 hours for travel to / from Montrose and Lake City. The Little Blue Canyon Project is still ongoing and will also affect travel between Montrose and Lake City.
RVs and trailers are allowed on CR 26 as long as long as they meet the State of Colorado legal maximum vehicle dimensions and weights. No oversized loads or Hazardous Material transports allowed. No vehicles over 85,000 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
State of Colorado legal max vehicle dimensions and weights will be enforced.
Release times are when the pilot car leaves. You must be in the queue by the start of the release time. For westbound travel, traffic will queue on CR 26. For eastbound travel, traffic will queue on Hwy 50.
County Road 26 Release Times: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays
Eastbound (to Lake City) | Westbound (to Montrose) |
6:30-7 a.m. | 7:30-8 a.m. |
8:30-9 a.m. | 9:30-10 a.m. |
CLOSED for Road Maintenance | CLOSED for Road Maintenance |
11:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. | 12:30-1 p.m. |
1:30-2 p.m. | 2:30-3 p.m. |
CLOSED for Road Maintenance | CLOSED for Road Maintenance |
4:30-5 p.m. | 5:30-6 p.m. |
6:30-7 p.m. | 7:30-8 p.m. |
CLOSED for Road Maintenance | CLOSED for Road Maintenance |
9:30-10 p.m. | 10:30-11 p.m. |
County Road 26 Release Times: Wednesdays Only
Eastbound (to Lake City) | Westbound (to Montrose) |
6:30-7 a.m. | 7:30-8 a.m. |
8:30-9 a.m. | 9:30-10 a.m. |
CLOSED for Road Maintenance | CLOSED for Road Maintenance |
4:30-5 p.m. | 5:30-6 p.m. |
6:30-7 p.m. | 7:30-8 p.m. |
CLOSED for Road Maintenance | CLOSED for Road Maintenance |
9:30-10 p.m. | 10:30-11 p.m. |
Resources for Information, Updates, and Questions:
- CDOT US 50 Bridge Closure Hotline: (970) 648-4423 staffed 7 am until 8 pm Monday through Friday; leave a voicemail for a call back at other times.
- CDOT Email for Questions: us50bridge@gmail.com.
- CDOT US 50 Bridge Website
- CDOT US 50 Bridge Facebook
- Lake City / Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center: 970-944-2527
Photos of CR 26 (Lake City Cutoff)
