FLOOD09157

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan for Colorado
• Date: 1/1/1983
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: CWCB
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

2,1,6.5 Department of Highways
2.1.6,5.1 Division of Highways

Through the Division of Disaster Emergency Services, the
Department of Highways participated in the flood relief effort
following the Lawn Lake Dam failure and Estes Park disaster of
July 15, 1982, The Department's involvement included: traffic
control, roadway repairs, debris removal, damage estimates,
inspections, and restoration of u.S. Highway 34.

Traffic-control efforts consisted of helping to secure the
Estes Park area immediately following the flood. Signs and
barricades were established on U,S. 34 and U.S. 36 to keep people
out of the damaged portion of town. However, since the disaster
occurred at a time of heavy tourist traffic, a route to Rocky
Mountain National Park was kept open.

Road repair efforts were begun as soon as heavy equipment
could be moved into the area. The first priority was to re-open
the major roadways and remove debris which was endangering roads
and bridges, Private contractors were brought in to help with
this work, and the Department set up a bookkeeping system for all
contractors. Some road repair work was performed within Rocky
Mountain National Park, and a low-water crossing was provided for
a group of 70 people who had been isolated by the flood,

An important administrative task involved the preparation of
damage estimates to determine the scope of the disaster in
anticipation of a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. The
Department assisted the Federal Highway Administration in esti-
mates for the Federal-Aid Highway System. The same type of
assistance was provided through the Federal Emergency Management
Agency to the City of Estes Park, Larimer County, and the U.s.
Corps of Engineers,

Debris removal throughout the affected area became a major
part of the Department's contribution to the recovery effort. In
addition to coordination of the the actual clean-up work, the
Department administered the contracts with private contractors
for debris removal, This was done at the request of Estes Park,
Larimer County, and the State Division of Game and Fish.
Administration of these contracts included obtaining rights of
entry, the writing of specifications, description of the work
areas, inspection of work performed, and documentation of
payment.

At the time of this report, the Department is administering
a $106,579.25 Title 23, Emergency Relief Project for the
restoration of U.S. Highway 34 in, and immediately west of, Estes
Park. The object of this project is to restore the highway to
pre-flood conditions. This work consists of fence l'emoval and
replacement, debris removal, slope stabilization, bridge rail
repair, and selected highway overlays. If weather conditions are
favorable, this work should be completed by early January 1983.

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