29 Mar 2015
Photos: Walking CDOT’s proposed realignment of US 550 to US 160 at the Bridge to Nowhere
Last week I walked CDOT’s path for the proposed realignment of US 550 to US 160 at the Bridge to Nowhere with some environmental scientists from SME. During our hike, we saw deer, elk and bear fleeing the steeps of the northern aspects as we approached. Check out some of the prime edge habitat in a pinon juniper forest where we walked CDOT’s preferred alternative in the photographs below.

These two ponds are being analyzed by the Army Corps of Engineers who will determine whether or not they qualify as wetlands.

This pond probably won’t qualify as a wetland since there is an irrigation ditch that ends directly above it.

A second image of the lower two ponds in the corridor of CDOT’s proposed realignment of US 550 to US 160.

The forested area where CDOT is proposing to build the the realignment of US 550 makes for some prime edge habitat for deer, elk and bears, as were all seen by us during our walk last week.

Looking back to the southwest from the other side of the same 1st canyon where CDOT wants to build a bridge.

CDOT is proposing to cut the tops of these mountains off and build a bridge across the canyon in between.

A large den in the alignment of CDOT’s proposed connection of US 550 to the US 160 at the Bridge to Nowhere.

A few big stairs exist at the end of this box culvert going under US 160 at the bottom of Farmington Hill. Can deer and elk cross through here? I would say yes, but their fawns and calfs would have a hard time making it down these stairs at the end.