CDOT

A safety closure is in place for a bridge on US Highway 50 located west of Gunnison. The Colorado Department of Transportation is closing the bridge at the urging of the Federal Highway Administration and state bridge engineering experts due to the findings of an ongoing safety inspection, which identified anomalies in the bridge on Thursday, April 18.

On today’s KVNF Farm Friday we highlight a mentoring program for new ranchers and farmers in the Uncompahgre Valley with Cally Hale, CFRT Program Director, Valley Food Partnership. Shirley Koch, co-owner of Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors and Donor Services in Montrose is fighting her 15-year federal prison sentence, reports the Montrose Daily Press. Koch claims that the sentencing judge used inflated calculations. CDOT’s updated safety protocol will continue for Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon as the Western Slope enters the summer monsoon season. More precipitation is now required before a roadway safety closure will be put in place.

CDOT anticipates a soft reopen of Colorado Highway 133 as early as next Monday, depending on weather and construction conditions. Blue Mesa Reservoir is seeing a recovery after some thirsty years. Women have been historically underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields, otherwise known as STEM.

CDOT announced early Thursday morning that it will end its free commuter shuttle service on Highway 133 between Paonia and Carbondale on Friday, June 2 due to low ridership. Delta Police and Delta County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a man on Thursday who allegedly reported a bomb located somewhere inside Delta Health.

A bit of good news regarding the Highway 133 closure between Paonia and Somerset. Elise Thatcher, spokesperson for CDOT, says plans are underway for temporary repairs.On today’s Farm Friday Feature we take a look at the Montrose Farmers Market open every Saturday until October. The market located at historic Centennial Plaza in the heart of downtown Montrose starts at 9:00 am and runs until 1:00 p.m. every weekend ….rain or shine.

Hwy 133 CLOSED at Bear Creek Tuesday night due to flooding. The culvert under Hwy 133 for Bear Creek failed and the highway washed out, leaving no alternative route and no access to/from Somerset from Paonia. Springtime brings numerous opportunities to get outdoors with the whole family. KVNF’s Lisa Young has the details on a fun athletic event at Crossroads Trails System in Hotchkiss.

CDOT and Colorado State Patrol are asking drivers to follow lowered speed limits on Interstate 70 after a series of crashes caused extended closures on the highway. Paonia is losing approximately 10 gallons a water per minute due to a critical water leak under nearby railroad tracks, reports the Delta County Independent. Mesa County Valley School District may close three of its schools next year due to declining enrollment, reports the Daily Sentinel. The popular school loop of the River Park Trail near the Paonia K8 was recently closed to the public in-order to protect wildlife.

Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon reopened on Tuesday after a semi-truck accident closed both lanes around 11:15 a.m. Monday. The Hispanic Affairs Project in Montrose received a major nod from the Community Resource Center, recently reports the Montrose Daily Press. Hotchkiss resident Samira Vetter is the new town clerk for the Town of Paonia after the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the decision at the council meeting on Jan. 24, reports the Delta County Independent.

Roadwork on a four-mile stretch of U.S. 50 between Montrose and Gunnison known as the Little Blue Creek Canyon Project resumes this week, weather permitting. As KVNF’s Laura Palmisano reports, commuters should expect delays and closures as work ramps up for the season starting March 14th.

Despite heavy snow in the North Fork Valley, a motorist braving the weather to drive to Carbondale on New Year’s Eve didn't make it. But she was rescued the next morning on McClure Pass. Kate Redmond tracks down the details. Delta County redraws its district maps every ten years according to population changes as reflected in the Census. Even though the county has seen plenty of real estate changing hands the past decade, overall population numbers have not changed that much. Plus, scientists say climate change created perfect conditions for last week’s wildfire in Boulder County.