A three-and-a-half-month road closure will bring a new and improved bridge to commuters southwest of Platteville and northeast of Firestone. Bridge 17/28A, located on Weld County Road (WCR) 17 between WCR 28 and Colorado Highway 66, will be replaced starting Feb. 26. Work is expected to be complete by June 13, 2025. Detours associated with the project can be viewed on Weld County’s Road Advisory Map.
The replacement will be completed by the Weld County Department of Public Works and will correct several issues the bridge has developed since it was originally built in 1966. Notably, the bridge’s substructure and superstructure — components of a bridge that help support the weight of traffic — have sustained cracks and are in need of replacement. The cracks have contributed to the bridge becoming structurally deficient per the federal standards of the National Bridge Inventory, which rates sufficiency as good, fair or poor. The bridge’s sufficiency rating is currently at 57%, and Public Works aims to replace bridges before they reach a sufficiency rating of 50%.
“Approximately 7.5% of bridges nationwide are classified as structurally deficient, and in Weld County that average is closer to 5% due to the maintenance and replacements we do every year,” said Duane Naibauer, Deputy Director of the Weld County Department of Public Works. “Consistent use and repairs to this bridge throughout its 59-year history make improvements necessary for safety and efficiency so it can continue serving the traveling public.”
Steps will also be taken to position the bridge to fit better over the waterway underneath it. The new bridge will be widened from 25 to 32 feet and the driving surface will be repaved. Crews will also replace a leaking irrigation tube on the south side of the bridge.
While the annual average daily traffic rate is only 92 vehicles, 45% of that is truck traffic, according to Public Works, a number that can be expected to increase in the coming years as the county continues to grow.
“Just as we maintain county roads, our bridges are equally important,” said Perry Buck, Weld County Commissioner Chair. “This work will help ensure this bridge remains safe and efficient for years to come.”
Maintenance on bridges occurs every year across the county’s transportation system, which includes 2,864.32 miles of road. In 2024, Public Works rebuilt two bridges, redecked five and repaired four bridge guardrails. This is in addition to several other maintenance tasks the department does annually, some of which include grading and paving roads, hauling asphalt and gravel, replacing culverts, clearing snow and eliminating noxious weeds.
