For more than five decades the Grand Avenue Bridge in Glenwood Springs has stood as a shining beacon of architecture on the Western Slope. The bridge also served as the only point of mass entry into the the valley during the winter months, making traffic extremely congested during times of high flow.  

In 1953, when the bridge was first erected the population of the valley was just over 5,000 people. However, today nearly 30,000 people call it their home. For the past several years citizens have been voicing their concern that the once small conglomerate of towns had outgrown their classic bridge. Thus began the largest infrastructure project on Colorado’s western slope in nearly 25 years.

However the development of the new bridge has exacerbated the issue it sought to fix: traffic. AHS Junior, Arnold Muasa, is a resident of the mid valley.

“The traffic has been horrible. I am forced to leave my house 20 – 30 minutes earlier than I usually do, just to get to school on time. Before the new development I would leave my house at 7:00 AM on the dot, but now I usually have to leave at 6:30 ”

In addition, teachers like Jennifer Morandi Benson who reside further down valley are facing numerous issues.

“Construction has added about 45 minutes to my commute returning to Glenwood after work due to the merge at 27th.  Thank goodness I am able to get off the detour at 27th because I live in southeast Glenwood.  If I lived in west Glenwood, it could take up to 2 hours to get all the way through town during rush hour.” Benson said.

From the economy to the mood of the average citizen, the effects of the new development have been widespread.

“It’s definitely irritating and I’ve witnessed a fair amount of road rage.  Plus, side streets are congested with cars trying to bypass the detour. Construction has most definitely negatively affected business in Glenwood, especially small businesses downtown.  My husband owns a ski shop that opens for business on October 15th, so we’ll see firsthand how construction affects his bottom line.  I for one do not visit the Meadows shopping area as frequently, and only travel by car in Glenwood when I must or during off peak hours.” Said Benson.

The construction is scheduled for completion in May of 2018, however numerous delay causing issues have already presented themselves. A section of the new bridge collapsed in August. Hopefully the construction will remain on schedule.