Independence Pass will open sometime Thursday afternoon, according to state highway officials. They were forced to close it last night at about midnight after high runoff washed out a section of pavement on the Twin Lakes side.

After inspecting the site today, a Colorado Department of Transportation maintenance crew determined the remaining pavement is sound and can accommodate two-way traffic, according to spokeswoman Nancy Shanks. A portable barrier will be placed around the damaged area.

Initially, CDOT anticipated reopening just one lane by Friday, allowing for alternating traffic for the holiday weekend.

Highway 82 over the pass wasn’t originally scheduled to open until Friday anyway, but CDOT wrapped up pavement repairs and painting stripes on the roadway early, thanks to a balmy stretch of weather.

The pass is located east of Aspen.