30 years ago – April 11, 1986
According to Gilpin County Commissioner Leslie Williams she has heard “through the grapevine” that the Mammoth dam will be blown up at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. She had not been officially notified as of Wednesday afternoon, as had been promised by the Forest Service. Williams said the sheriff’s department had been told by the Army, which is doing the demolition. Wednesday, the Army had equipment in the area opening up the road to the site, which is west of the old towns of Apex and American City. The dam is being removed since the state says it is unsafe.
Work on Tunnel #6 on U.S. 6 which is getting overhead lighting and Tunnel #4 and #5 which are getting delineators along the sides and down the middle of the road should be completed April 16. The overhead lighting for Tunnel #2 and the safety improvements for Tunnels #1 and #3 will commence the day after Tunnel #6 is completed, April 17. All of the tunnels being repaired and getting lights are on U.S. 6, west of Golden and proceeding toward Idaho Springs. When work begins on Tunnel #2, people traveling from Gilpin County to Golden will have to travel via I-70 or Highway 46 in Golden Gate Canyon, as U.S. 6 will be closed Sunday through Thursday nights from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. from the junction of Highway 58 just west of Golden to the junction with Highway 119. The blasting being done to the east of Tunnel #2 is to widen and flatten out the curve at that location. Steel cribbing will be placed along the river bank, along with new guard rails at the roadside. Kiewit Western Company of Littleton, who is doing the work, plans to have U.S. 6 completely done by the end of April or possibly the first week of May.
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