Cracks In New Highway 16 Pavement Raise Concern

The Colorado Department of Transportation blames settling of concrete slabs, sandy soil and temperature extremes for cracking concrete in two areas of the recently renovated Highway 16 interchange across Interstate 25 and at Fort Carson’s Gate 20 near Fountain.

A long, thin crack has developed in the middle of the eastbound exit ramp to Highway 16. A wider, longer crack has appeared just to the east on the highway at the Bandley Drive intersection. Most drivers probably wouldn’t notice the cracks, but a nearby recreational vehicle salesman did.

“It’s a concern,” said Ron Griffith. “We’re spending money and having problems. I saw the exit ramp crack and wondered what’s going on?”

CDOT paid $61 million for a contractor to improve the interchange. The two-phase project is designed to alleviate traffic congestion in the area, and long was a priority of local leaders. It was completed last fall.

Doug Lollar, a CDOT engineer, said it’s difficult to build a project without some settling occurring. However, he also said the cracks were unexpected and the contractor didn’t provide a warranty for the work.

“You can’t always control Mother Nature,” said Lollar. “We checked the specifications with the contractor, saw no indication of cracking and then signed off on the project. We don’t blame the contractor in this case.”

Without a warranty, CDOT may have to pay thousands in taxpayer dollars to repair the damage. Lollar said the more serious crack at the Bandley Drive intersection wasn’t a surprise because that area is between two bridges, a situation that makes settling more likely.

“What we’re doing currently is monitoring for any additional settling before we determine what our final permanent fix is going to be,” said Lollar.

Any repair, Lollar said, would last only a few days and have a small effect on traffic. He said he hopes to repair the damage before cold weather arrives.