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Colorado Department of Transportation, Region 1 Federal Highway Administration, Colorado Division J.F. Sato and Associates USDA Forest Service |
For Excellence in Roadside Resource Managment and Maintenance:Berthoud Pass Mountain Access ProjectThe Berthoud Pass Mountain Access Road project was designed to deal with the tons of sand that are used on U.S. 40 over the Continental Divide each year for winter maintenance. The proactive design, incorporated into the highway widening, allowed for snow storage areas to be included in areas between the roadway shoulders and safety barriers. A system of ditches and culverts with numerous inlets ensured that the sand was transported with the snowmelt and runoff through the piped system to a number of strategically placed sediment basins. In the concrete sedimentation basins, the sand settles out and the maintenance crews can then recover the sand, promoting the release of clean water back into the Hoop Creek watershed. Sloped access ramps permitted loaders to enter and remove the sand easily from these storage areas, and additional sand removal was accomplished through sweeping operations. Additionally, cut and fill slopes from the original highway construction were terraced, stabilized and planted to prevent erosion of the slopes. Colorado State Department of Transportation has established these measures as permanent Best Management Practices along the Hoop Creek and it is expected to provide substantial water quality improvements to this area for years to come. This project demonstrates how roadside maintenance activities can promote environmental protection, enhancement and provide water quality improvements through cost-effective management techniques for roadside areas. Project Contributors:
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