Traffic & Transit
Denver West Bridge Has 'Minor Damage' After Vehicle Hit Girder
A commercial vehicle struck a girder at around 6 a.m., causing a closure of I-70 Eastbound. The bridge is safe to drive on, officials said.
LAKEWOOD, CO — An engineering inspection has found that the Denver West bridge is safe despite sustaining "minor damage" after a commercial vehicle hit one of its girders Thursday morning.
The vehicle struck the girder at around 6 a.m., the Colorado Department of Transportation said. The incident caused a complete closure of I-70 Eastbound, but the highway had fully reopened by 11 a.m.
#CDOT #News: Eastbound #I70 under the Denver West bridge fully re-opened shortly before 11 a.m. today following a thorough structure inspection following a commercial vehicle striking one of the girders. 📰https://t.co/6ihNfC9Xkl#KnowBeforeYouGo #WholeSystemWholeSafety pic.twitter.com/nEEpHOUUoh
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) September 23, 2021
The Denver West bridge reopened as well, but the right lane of the southbound bridge deck will be closed for "an extended period," CDOT said.
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Though CDOT bridge engineers found minor damage to one of the girders, they determined the structure is safe, the department said. The damage will be repaired under an emergency contract in the coming weeks.
CDOT will monitor the bridge to ensure its safety until repairs are made, it said.
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