RESPEC Project

RESPEC has supported the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) with flood response and recovery efforts in northern Colorado. Support work commenced in September 2013, immediately after a severe flood. Site investigations and assessments of more than 100 bridges were completed to evaluate hydraulic conditions and scour/erosion damage.

Using these assessments, the bridges were categorized based on scour severity. More than 60 of the evaluated structures were determined to need scour repairs because of the flood.  RESPEC’s initial efforts focused on providing design of scour repairs and construction support services for 34 bridges to ensure that construction was completed before high flows from the 2014 spring runoff occurred.

RESPEC then designed scour repairs and developed construction plans for 31 flood-damaged bridges in seven counties with the goal of implementing the scour repairs before the 2015 runoff occurred.