PUEBLO, Colo. — Work to replace a bridge damaged in a deadly train derailment near Pueblo in October will force the closure of I-25 for planned repairs.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced that both directions of I-25 north of Pueblo will be shut down starting at 7 p.m on December 18 through the overnight hours ending at 6 a.m. on December 19.
CDOT said the closure will happen at Mile Point 107.38 as crews reinstall guardrails and work to replace the bridge that collapsed on October 15.
At around 4:45 p.m. on October 15, around 30 cars from a BNSF train derailed while crossing I-25 scattering coal and damaged railroad cars across the interstate killing a semi-truck driver, identified by the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office as 60-year-old Lafollette Henderson of Compton, California.
CDOT recommended the following detours during the closure of I-25:Southbound drivers headed out of Colorado Springs are urged to take CO115 toward Penrose then head east on US Highway 50 to Pueblo.
Northbound motorists should take exit I-25 at US 50 to Penrose then travel north on CO 115 to Colorado Springs.
Motorists on CO 115 will navigate a 12-mile long construction zone, CDOT said with speeds reduced to 45 mph and lane width reduced to 11 feet.
Because of the lane width restrictions, wide-load vehicles should seek alternative routes such as US 50 to CO 71 if traveling eastbound or US 50 to US 285 if headed westbound.
Henderson was killed when his semi-truck was passing underneath the 1958-built steel bridge during the collapse. The National Transportation Safety Board in its preliminary findings indicated a broken rail caused the collapse, the AP reported.
