Work crews will close Interstate 70 in Grand Junction again on Sunday night to continue the cleanup from a deadly and fiery semi crash that knocked out a bridge pillar.
The highway will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. between exits 26 and 37. Local traffic will be allowed as far as exits 31 and 28.
The closure will give a contract team with hazardous-materials expertise the opportunity to pressure wash the area of the bridge structure that was affected by the fire.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Transportation announced Friday that it will soon begin the process of hiring a contractor to make repairs to the 26.5 Road bridge.
The bridge, which runs north to south over the interstate, was damaged early Wednesday when the westbound semi-truck crashed into the pillar on the north end of the bridge. The concrete pillar was knocked free from under the bridge.
The truck driver and a passenger were ejected from the truck and died at the scene. The identities of the male driver and a female passenger have not been released, although police said they began their trip in Denver.
Grand Junction police have said preliminary results of the investigation show the driver apparently fell asleep just before the crash.
CDOT crews worked feverishly to shore up the bridge enough to reopen one lane in each direction of I-70. The bridge has not been reopened.
The damage comes at the height of the tourist season, with up to 19,000 vehicles a day using the interstate, which runs along the north side of Grand Junction. Some traffic will continue to be diverted along the I-70 business loop through town, as well as onto U.S. 6 and U.S. 50.
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
