Related: WYDOT Tests Teton Pass Gazex Gun
Ever since remotely operated Gazex avalanche guns were installed on a few infamous slide paths in Colorado, road closures, delays, and unnecessary safety risks have been eliminated from an otherwise dangerous and time-consuming business.
That success is cause for contemplation among Colorado Department of Transportation officials, who are currently wondering if they should expand Gazex avalanche control systems in the near future. According to Colorado Public Radio, CDOT is more than pleased with the result. This past winter, Berthoud Pass remained open all winter and Loveland Pass saw much less avalanche debris on the road thanks to the new system.
In the past, CDOT officials have been placed in harm’s way, having to shoot $200 artillery rounds from a “avalauncher” in a practice that was neither exact or safe. With the new method, Colorado is saving money and lives.
There are over 278 slide paths that affect roads in Colorado and just which one they will choose to control via Gazex next has yet to be seen.
About Gazex
Gazex explodes an oxygen/propane gas mixture in specifically designed exploder tubes located at the top end of risk zones. The exploders are connected to gas storage tanks with capacities high enough to operate for the whole season without re-filling.
Find the entire Colorado Public Radio article here: Pleased With Gazex Avalanche Control On Berthoud Pass, CDOT Will Expand Program
