ROCKSLIDE MAY KEEP STATE ROAD CLOSED FOR DAYS

A massive rockslide across a western Colorado highway Wednesday morning has prompted a route closure expected to last at least into the weekend.

More than 100 tons of debris tumbled onto Colorado 133 near Paonia at about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The Colorado Department of Transportation says the incident caused extensive damage to the roadway’s surface and an adjacent concrete barrier.

Colorado 133 spans between Carbondale and Hotchkiss and each day sees more than 1,100 vehicles, 6 percent of which are trucks.

CDOT says its geohazard unit is working with a contractor to determine the extent of rock-scaling operations needed to mitigate any future rockslides and protect the safety of work crews and motorists.

“Crews are shooting for a possible Saturday opening of the highway,” CDOT said Thursday.

Motorists can detour around the closure on Interstate 70 to the north and U.S. 50 to the south. The detour routes can add up to three hours of travel.