Dear Action Line: Is fixing the “Ski Jump to Nowhere” in the plans for the new highway interchange for U.S. highways 550 and 160? There are a couple of these on the entrances to bridges in the area, but this one (see photo) is my favorite. I’m thinking some sort of contest that gives points for distance and style should be conducted in solidarity with the Olympic Winter Games. Flying high … – Lars Gelande
Dear Lars: Apologies, as the Games are now over for the quadrennium. The good news is we can all start training for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Action Line has taken the Ski Jump to Nowhere on occasion, but is more a veteran of the “Drop-Off to Nowhere,” located on the exit ramp that goes east from Highway 160 over to the Wilson Gulch roundabout. The Drop-Off feels like flying over a catwalk on Demon. Pretty exciting, but you need a lot of speed to get that roller-coaster effect.
Things are sure getting busy over there, what with the new Maverick station coming in and all. Yay for progress. Right?
When it comes to driving activities, there are several events in which locals can compete, as David Valentinelli, Colorado Department of Transportation project director for the U.S. Highway 550-U.S. Highway 160 Connection South Project, pointed out.
“CDOT suggests adding this ‘jump’ event to the already popular ‘Pothole Dodging,’” he said. “After all, the seasonal dodging is a sport many Coloradans become experts and quite skilled at every spring! #TeamDurango #GoForTheGold.”
Action Line believes “Roundabout Chicken” might be another good event, as well as “Deer Dodging” or “Bear Braking,” the latter being more of a fall sport. We’re still working on this, so please share your ideas.
But let’s settle the matter at hand, which is all about settlement. The land under the roads – to the north of the bridges themselves – is what has settled, causing the discrepancy in height. The bridges themselves did not settle.
“CDOT is working with Lawrence Construction (the contractor on the project), collecting data to determine the cause and appropriate mitigations for the settlement,” Valentinelli said.
The plan is to proceed with the design of a preferred mitigation alternative, with work being done before opening the new alignment currently under construction. However, the work is dependent on enough money being available for the mitigation required. As of last week, the entire $98.6 million project is on target for completion in spring 2023.
“In the meantime,” Valentinelli added in Action Line fashion, “CDOT considers this more of a slopestyle quality, offering the rider the benefit of big air, rails and a monument feature to show their skills. In case you do not hear our tongue-in-cheek tone – seriously, please slow down and use caution on these bridge approaches.”
Last week’s column had a question about three triangle-shaped military jets that flew over Durango on Feb. 11. F-16s are flown by the Colorado Air National Guard out of the Denver area, so that’s what Tony Vicari, aviation director at Durango-La Plata County Airport, guessed they were from a brief description. He did not see them.
However, several people responded that they saw the planes, and the unanimous consensus was that they were B-2s, also known as Stealth Bombers.
“I saw the three planes, and wondered how many others saw them too,” said Tiffany Mapel. “And, they definitely were NOT F-16s. They were probably B-2s. And to see three of them flying in formation was pretty spectacular. We wondered if they were being routed to Eastern Europe in light of the Russia/Ukraine situation.”
Someone calling themself “J” said: “(For what it’s worth), the planes referred to in that query were definitely not F-16s. Per a photo taken by a local pilot, they appeared to be B-2 Stealth Bombers ... or perhaps a flight of prototype B-21s?”
Vladimir Putin has us all in a tizzy, but he must be shaking in his shoes, or more likely vibrating in his valenki, to read this. The B-21, or Raider, is being manufactured by Northrop Grumman “to ensure America can project its power globally for decades to come,” according to the maker’s website. As of last fall, five test aircraft were being built in Palmdale, California.
These very high-tech and fast aircraft are designed to penetrate defenses and strike quickly where necessary. Take that, Vlad.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Doping 15-year-old Olympians, eastern European tiffs – those Russians sure are raising a ruckus.
