Sky-Hi News file photo
Rocky Mountain National Park will soon begin tackling a series of pavement preservation projects, and local travelers and visiting tourists should expect delays.
Thursday morning officials from the Park released details on Rocky’s summer paving projects, which will occur from July 29 through early September at various locations throughout the park.
“From July 30 through August 2, crack sealing will begin on Trail Ridge Road from the Colorado River Trailhead to the Grand Lake Entrance,” stated Park spokesperson Kyle Patterson. “Traffic control will be maintained by pilot car operations or flagger to flagger with delays of up to 20 minutes.”
Additional paving work in the Kawuneeche Valley will resume a bit over one month later on Sept. 9 when federal officials look to tackle a micro resurfacing project in the same area of Trail Ridge Road, from the Colorado River Trailhead to the Grand Lake entrance. The micro resurfacing work is expected to last approximately two to three weeks, depending upon weather and other factors.
“Single lane closures of two miles will exist with pilot car operations and wait times of up to 20 minutes,” Patterson said. “Adjacent parking lots will be closed for the day prior to work passing that area, to allow parking lots and pullouts to be resurfaced and to avoid vehicles being trapped behind fresh micro seal.”
Along with work on the Park’s west side, federal officials are planning additional paving work on the east side of the Park on Bear Lake Road. Work on that area is scheduled to begin July 29 with traffic delays and pilot car operations.
Travelers and visitors should expect “major delays and backups” on the Park’s east side on Aug. 7 and 8 when the first two miles of Bear Lake road are micro sealed.