Idaho Springs – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will close the remaining 10 mile segment of the Mount Evans Highway (State Highway 5) for the season to most vehicular traffic Monday, Sept. 22, for road construction.

CDOT needs to build a retaining wall along the edge of the highway to improve its stability near Lincoln Lake, about 6 ½ miles up from Echo Lake, requiring a full closure of the roadway. Only authorized vehicles and hunters with a current license for that game management unit will be permitted to use the highway during the closure period.

Annually, CDOT closes the five-mile segment from Summit Lake to the top of Mount Evans (14,264 feet) the day after Labor Day, per agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. The 10 mile section from Echo Lake (State Highway 103) to Summit Lake closes annually in early October. This year’s earlier closure will provide CDOT the time to make these road improvements prior to snowfall. State Highway 5 is scheduled to reopen for the summer season Friday, May 22, 2015, weather permitting.

Information regarding the opening and closing of seasonal highways in Colorado is available on the cotrip.org website or by calling 511. Updates also are offered via email and text. Please visit http://www.coloradodot.infoand click on the cellphone icon in the upper right-hand corner. The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including General Travel Information – Seasonal Mountain Pass Closures/Openings.

For additional information about the Clear Creek Ranger District call 303-567-3000 or visit the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grasslands website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/arp, follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/usfsarpand like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/usfsarp