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Contact: Murray Shoemaker, 970-586-1443 Due to emergency conditions and the need to get vital supplies, including, but not limited to, food and fuel, to the Estes Park area, commercial truck traffic is temporarily being allowed to travel over Trail Ridge Road between Grand Lake and Estes Park. Truck length may not exceed ninety feet. For trucks longer than a bus, an escort will be provided. Other essential travel being allowed includes: community residents, family members of community residents providing support, and emergency services vehicles. No other east bound traffic will be allowed, even for those with advance plans and reservations in the community. Trail Ridge is open to all travel west bound from Estes Park to Grand Lake. All Rocky Mountain National Park staff members in the surrounding area have now been accounted for.
Because of the thirteen inches of rain in a seven day period, Rocky Mountain National Park staff has been monitoring Lily Lake and Sprague Lake dams twenty four hours a day. Yesterday, a contract engineering firm examined both dams and declared them structurally sound. The park continues to be closed to recreational use and the east side is still under an emergency disaster declaration. When the situation stabilizes, crews will begin to conduct damage assessments of park roads, trails, and other infrastructure. Soils are still saturated as evidenced by a large landslide west of Twin Sisters Peaks. Employee safety will continue to be a priority when the assessments begin. Park and incident personnel will continue to respond to requests from the town of Estes Park and Larimer County whenever possible. Recent examples include: on Thursday, September 12th, park personnel sandbagged an entrance to the Estes Valley Library, preventing certain damage to the collections. On Friday, September 13th, park Search and Rescue personnel assisted Glen Haven Fire in the rescue of several stranded residents. For Rocky Mountain National Park information, call the park's Information Office at 970-586-1206. |
Last updated: February 24, 2015