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Dillon Dam Road to remain closed for another week during rockfall mitigation

Crews work to remove loose rocks from the cliff face overlooking the west end of Dillon Dam Road this week. The Dam Road will extend its current closure until the end of next week due to more loose rocks than anticipated.
Courtesy Summit County

FRISCO — Summit County government announced Friday that Dillon Dam Road, which has been closed all week, will remain closed for another week — through Friday, Nov. 22 — for rockfall mitigation.

Crews have been working to remove loose rocks from the cliff face overlooking the west end of the road.

Summit County Road & Bridge Director Robert Jacobs said the contractor doing the work has encountered many more loose and unstable rocks than originally anticipated.



“To expedite the work, we need to keep the road closed through to the end of next week,” Jacobs said.

The road will not reopen during the weekend or during rush hour. Jacobs said attempting to open and close the road would take up time and resources as well as extend the work that needs to be done to keep the road safe.



Jacobs said the contractor, which is from Grand Junction, has been using climbing equipment to crawl across the cliff face, find loose rocks and manually pry them off, allowing them to tumble down to the cliff base. Protective barriers have been erected and spread across the road to prevent damage to the road surface as well as to a Denver Water facility nearby.

The recreation path running alongside the road over the top of the dam also will be closed because it faces the same threat from large rocks and scree.

Jacobs said the closure is not expected to be extended again, and crews should finish their work by next Friday.

Detours available to motorists include Interstate 70 and Swan Mountain Road.


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