BNSF Railway will begin repairs on a section of tracks on Colo. 66 that have been an ongoing issue — and frustration for motorists — at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The repairs on the stretch of tracks, which is east of Walmart, are expected to take two full days, city of Longmont spokesman Rigo Leal said in an email.
Traffic on Colo. 66 will be detoured through Longmont via Main Street, 17th Avenue and Pace Street, according to Leal. Those traveling west on Colo. 66 will have to go south on Pace Street, then west on 17th Avenue, then north on Main Street.
BNSF has experienced issues at the rail crossing for several weeks. The ties supporting the tracks have rotted out and need to be replaced, Leal said in the email. This has led to multiple temporary emergency repairs in the last month, the most recent of which was Sept. 16 when the road was closed for several hours when temporary repairs were made.
BNSF says it will begin more permanent repairs at the crossing by replacing the ties, Leal said in his email.
Funding for the repair is being paid by BNSF and the Colorado Department of Transportation, according to Leal.
“But the city will do its best to inform the Longmont public about this closure and detours this weekend in preparation for the Tuesday morning closure,” Leal said in his email.
