After a hefty piece of construction equipment known as a shuttle buggy took a tumble off a flatbed truck early this morning, southbound I-25 near 20th Street was partially shut down. The equipment, which is involved in transferring hot-mixed asphalt and tips the scales around 80,000 pounds, proved to be a considerable challenge to move, according to CDOT. The incident happened in the designated work zone for the I-25 resurfacing project, leaving four out of five lanes inaccessible to traffic.
Crews came on the scene since the early hours to handle the cumbersome shuttle buggy, also tackling the spill of hydraulic fluid that came along with the accident. The buggy was successfully righted and hoisted back onto its trailer by 10:30 a.m., allowing maintenance workers to clear away debris and secure the done zone for travel once more. The blockage occurred while crews were in the midst of clearing the overnight work zone extending from Alameda to 44th Avenue.
Further, CDOT reminds drivers of some basic safety measures to observe when navigating through work zones. These include maintaining adherence to posted speed limits, staying vigilant, and minimizing distractions like mobile devices. Turn on headlights for better visibility, and "anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so," as stated by CDOT. Delays should be expected, especially during peak travel times, so patience is a virtue on the roads.
