Thursday, Mar 10, 2016 5:27 AMUpdated Thursday, Mar. 10, 2016 3:49 PM
Drivers should expect 20-minute delays
Toby Paterson, left, and Andrew Becker, both with Rock Solid Solutions, bring down loose rocks south of Durango Thursday. They were hand clearing the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 south of Durango.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Toby Paterson, with Rock Solid Solutions, inserts an inflatable air bag to help bring down loose rocks as they clear a rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday.
Jerry McBride/Durango
Andrew Becker, left, and Toby Paterson, both with Rock Solid Solutions, bring down loose rocks as they clear the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday.
Jerry McBride/Durango
Andrew Becker, left, and Toby Paterson, both with Rock Solid Solutions, bring down loose rocks as they hand pick the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Kevin Curry, left, and Dusty Ledford, both with the Colorado Department of Transportation look at what rock to bring down on the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Toby Paterson, left, and Andrew Becker, both with Rock Solid Solutions, bring down loose rocks as they hand pick the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Toby Paterson, left, and Andrew Becker, both with Rock Solid Solutions, bring down loose rocks as they hand pick the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Toby Paterson, with Rock Solid Solutions, inserts an inflatable air bag to help bring down loose rocks as they hand pick the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Andrew Becker, left, and Toby Paterson, both with Rock Solid Solutions, bring down loose rocks as they hand pick the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Rocks come tumbling down on Bondad Hill on U.S. Highway 550 as Colorado Department of Transportation along with Rock Solid Solutions personal bring down the loose rock on Thursday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Rocks come tumbling down on Bondad Hill on U.S. Highway 550 as Colorado Department of Transportation along with Rock Solid Solutions personal bring down the loose rock on Thursday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
A Colorado Department of Transportation front end loader moves the giant sized boulders that they are bringing down from the rock wall at Bondad Hill above U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday south of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango
Blasting is slated to begin Friday on two large rock faces along U.S. Highway 550 at Bondad Hill, the Colorado Department of Transportation said Thursday.
Crews have drilled at least 24 holes in one rock face, with blasting to start Friday.
CDOT spokeswoman Nancy Shanks said drivers should expect delays of about 20 minutes during blasting periods. Those are expected to occur between noon and 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Traffic will also be stopped periodically for equipment crossing.
“We’re taking away some of the rocks from two different rock faces,” Shanks said. “We’re not done with this area, but we’re getting the two biggest rocks done.”
Work is expected to be complete before Monday.
CDOT will remove debris after spring runoff occurs. In the meantime, debris is secured behind a 700-foot barrier placed inside the northbound lane after the slide.
A massive rockslide Feb. 14 brought about 700 tons of rock down on U.S. Highway 550 near mile marker 6, about 10 miles south of Durango. A 150-foot slab of rock broke into several pieces, including one 25 feet by 40 feet by 10 feet, and another that was 15 feet by 30 feet by 10 feet. About 70 dump-truck loads are required to remove the rocks, according to CDOT.
