Pitkin County takes step toward Redstone bridge replacement

Pitkin County’s  replacement of the Redstone South Bridge is set to begin this month after a construction contract was awarded to Myers and Sons Construction.

Crews will begin work in the middle of February, but the bridge won’t close until early March. After March, the bridge is expected to be closed throughout the summer, with the aim of re-opening early September. 

“This bridge is Redstone’s front door,” said Pitkin County Engineer Andrew Knapp in a press release announcing the contract. “We’re moving into construction with a clear plan shaped by public input and a focus on minimizing impacts to the Redstone community.”

The bridge design was the result of several public input sessions, Knapp said. They ultimately settled on a red material design as a reference to the town’s name. 

The current south bridge was built in 1947 and lacks a pedestrian sidewalk. It also has a central pier that sits in the river. 

The new bridge, in addition to having a pedestrian sidewalk, will eliminate the center pier and will be marginally higher to protect against “hundred-year flood” scenarios. As it stands currently, the center pier that sits in the river presents a potential failure point due to debris buildup or scouring in extreme flooding scenarios. 

During initial construction, crews will have to work in the river to some extent. Knapp noted, however, that they should be out of the waterway by mid-April.

The new bridge is expected to cost around $3.5 million. The sidewalk portion, which will increase the width of the bridge by about 10 feet, will help with a Pitkin County Open Spaces and Trails’ trail connectivity project. As such, Open Spaces and Trails will foot a portion of the bill, around one-third of the total cost. The remainder will come from Pitkin County’s road and bridge fund.

During the bridge closure, Redstone will have only one way in and one way out, something that Pitkin County acknowledges might concern residents and businesses in the area as summer is typically their busy tourist season.

But Knapp noted summer is the only time the construction could be completed. To ensure that the project is completed on-time, the contract includes a $2,000 per day early completion bonus for a maximum of 25 days before Sept. 4. That means that Myers and Sons could get a $50,000 bonus if they complete the build by Aug. 10. 

“We’ve got that early completion setup to incentivize getting this project done as quickly as possible,” he said. “I know the contractor is eager to earn as much as they can, and I am eager to pay out the entirety of that early completion to get them out of there and give the community back to the community.” 

During the closure, traffic will be rerouted onto the Redstone North Bridge on Redstone Boulevard. The Coke Ovens parking area nearby the area will be reserved for construction equipment, though there will be parking available at Elk Park. 

From Elk Park, visitors can walk into town using a nearby pedestrian bridge. Pitkin County is placing additional signage to help visitors find their way to Redstone. 

For more information on the upcoming project and additional notices, visit  pitkincounty.com/1633/Redstone-South-Bridge-Replacement.