On December 10th, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) had announced and confirmed the installation and successful testing of their new avalanche mitigation equipment. It was installed on Red Mountain Pass, a part of the infamous Million Dollar Highway, which is a section of US Highway 550. These five remote controlled units had been tested the week before the release, and are currently placed at three avalanche-prone sites.
The testing consisted of causing controlled snow slides, which would show the effectiveness of the equipment.
CDOT state avalanche program coordinator, Brian Gorsage mentions that “…With these units permanently installed and pre-loaded on the mountain and ridgelines, operations can take place in the early morning hours before daytime commuter traffic increases…” which minimizes the effect on those using the road.
Gorsage is not the only person who sung the praises of these new systems. Julie Constan, the Southwest Regional Transportation Director for CDOT emphasized the benefits for travelers and the maintenance crew.
Out of the five different units installed, three were from the company O’bellx, and two were from Gazex.
Both systems are remotely controlled, and operate by creating concussive blasts out of compressed air, in order to trigger controlled avalanches. The O’bellx units will require being reset on-site every winer, and the Gazex units will remain in place all year. The installation of these units was carried out by the contractor Geovert. The challenges in installing this equipment in the high-alpine environment was highlighted by the CDOT engineer and project manager, Jeff Reichel.
These five units on Red Mountain Pass are considered a milestone, as they are the first fixed avalanche mitigation system located on US Highway 550. This, along with over 40 other remote controlled systems across the state of Colorado, show CDOT’s dedication to the advancement of technology for safety and efficiency in winter travel.
Related Stories:
- https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/colorado-deploys-systems-to-combat-avalanches?dicbo=v2-wejCnVG
- https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/avalanche
- https://avalanche.state.co.us/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/remote-avalanche-control-exploding-eggs-interstate-70-colorado-gas-exploders/
- https://gazette.com/premium/a-colorado-solution-to-the-problem-colorado-mountaineer-creates-new-app-to-prevent-avalanche-deaths/article_2354ca5c-6462-11ee-834d-fb0df12af35d.html
- https://www.9news.com/article/weather/weather-colorado/cdot-avalanche-control-colorado/73-ed3ebba2-d5de-4702-b24d-368509b56084
- https://www.montrosepress.com/free_access/avalanche-control-systems-installed-on-us-550-red-mountain-pass/article_bc5c1db6-954c-11ee-aae1-734980d0df01.html
- https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/colorado/news/avalanche-equipment-installed-colorado-red-mountain-pass-550-million-dollar-highway-cdot/
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