Sema Construction Inc. Completes Coal Bank Creek Bridge Replacement

State Highway 14 connects the Western Slope to the Eastern Plains through a vital northern corridor, running past Ted’s Place and deep into the Poudre Canyon.

Drivers using this mountain road have seen major infrastructure upgrades in recent years, particularly after natural disasters changed the terrain.

Chief among these infrastructure efforts was the reconstruction of the Coal Bank Creek Bridge. The bridge sat three miles west of Ault at mile marker 149 and is also known as the bridge on County Road 82.

Originally built in 1935, that existing structure had grown structurally deficient over the decades. It ultimately warranted replacement through the Colorado Bridge Enterprise, operating under the Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery legislation.

Crews finished replacing the aging crossing with a wider and higher structure designed to meet modern safety standards. SEMA Construction Inc. of Centennial served as the contractor for the $3.7 million undertaking.

Construction work on the bridge began in February 2013 and wrapped up in September 2013. Beyond concrete and steel spans, the corridor has faced severe environmental pressures that continue to demand ongoing engineering management.

Sema Construction Inc. Completes Coal Bank Creek Bridge Replacement

In June 2012, the High Park Fire burned more than 87,250 acres west of Fort Collins near the Poudre River and Poudre Canyon. That disaster ranked as the second most destructive fire in Colorado’s history.

The flames heavily impacted several vulnerable areas near State Highway 14. Following detailed damage assessments, the Colorado Department of Transportation initiated both reactive and proactive mitigation efforts.

Crews targeted the burn zone by replacing critical culverts to handle post-storm debris flows and protect motorists. Officials estimate that the lingering impacts of the High Park Fire will continue to affect the highway corridor for at least three to five years.

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