The torrential rains in Colorado this week have caused immense flooding, prompting President Obama to declare that a major disaster area exists in Colorado and to offer federal aid in cleaning up the storm that left at least 7 dead, closed down 200 miles of roadways, and destroyed or severely damaged at least 50 bridges.
Among others who are participating in the cleanup, the Colorado National Guard is on the scene helping to clear roadways, perform search and rescue missions, distribute supplies, and man some of the 67 checkpoints established to maintain order.
Many roadways that are currently closed will remain closed for an indefinite amount of time as not only are some roadways still under water, but the contents of that water are unknown. The part of the state where the flooding is the worst is known for their oil and natural gas production. Hundreds of natural gas and oil wells were shut down, with at least two spills contaminating the waters with 448 barrels (18,750 gallons) of oil.
According to environmental officials, oil spills aren’t their biggest concern. A spokesperson for the EPA said that their main concern would be raw sewage getting mixed up with the flood waters and seeping in to groundwater across the county.
The Colorado DOT is still focused mostly on rescue efforts across the northeaster plains and there is no word when closed roads and bridges will be reopened. CDOT is looking to construct temporary roads for U.S. 36 and State Highway 7 between Boulder and Estes Park, U.S. 34 between Loveland and Estes Park, SH 72 between U.S. 93 and SH 119 and for impacted highways in eastern Colorado.
“With winter on our heels, we need to focus on restoring routes to communities that currently have limited access,” said a statement from CDOT. “The work will be conducted by CDOT staff, emergency contractors and National Guard where possible to remove debris, make necessary repairs and begin building temporary roads to improve access to as many impacted routes as possible.”
According to FleetOwner, Greg Fulton, President of the Colorado Motor Carrier’s Association, said that HOS waivers are still available for drivers that need to travel longer distances to avoid flooded areas.
“A lot of these areas experienced a year’s worth of rainfall in just three days; it’s created an unbelievable challenge for our members,” continued Fulton. “The only saving grace is that this is not happening during winter, for the amount of rain we’ve seen would translate to roughly 10 or 12 feet of snow.”
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Source: weather, cbs, fleetowner
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