Karen from Bailey writes, “What’s driving you crazy? In Turkey Creek Canyon, on the north side of the highway right across from the Mt Lindo cross, is a portion of wall that has been crumbling ever since I moved up here 35 years ago. Over the years it has been scaled and a chain link curtain was installed to contain the falling rock, but it looks like several large rocks are ready to tumble at any moment. It’s scary to drive under it. Do you know if there are any plans to further scale or stabilize this wall?”
Yes, CDOT is looking at doing some work at that site as well as other sites along 285, but maybe not as soon as you may like.
- Watch the segment in the video player below:
When you drive west along the southbound lanes of 285 past Morrison, it appears there are several areas of concern with rocks right next to and hanging above the roadway. The specific area Karen is talking about is just after mile marker 247, about a mile shy of Parmalee Gulch Road. When I was getting video of this spot, I noticed a fairly steep slope with vegetation and several large boulders exposed out of the soil. There is also wire mesh draped over the majority of the slope, including over several large boulders, some nearly the size of a car.
The rockfall mitigation company Geostabilization International says rockfall wire mesh is specifically designed to stabilize slopes and prevent rocks or debris from falling by acting as a barrier, intercepting and containing falling rocks, thus minimizing the risk of damage and ensuring the safety of people and assets in areas prone to rockfall hazards…