Colorado Highway 71 is closed between Rocky Ford and Ordway in Otero County after a culvert failure at Mile Point 17.3 near Impassable Ditch Road. The closure affects both northbound and southbound traffic, and it is not known when the highway will reopen.

The Colorado Department of Transportation closed the highway as a safety precaution and said the road will remain closed until engineers can determine the extent of the damage and make necessary repairs. Local property owners can access their land from either side of the closure point.

This is not the first time Highway 71 has been shut down in the area. In 2019, the highway closed near Ordway for a bridge replacement project.

A detour is in place for through traffic. From Rocky Ford, motorists should travel west on United States Highway 50 to Manzanola, turn north on Colorado Highway 207, continue north to Colorado Highway 96 and travel east to Ordway. From Ordway, the route is reversed: west on Colorado Highway 96, south on Colorado Highway 207 toward Manzanola and United States Highway 50, then east to Rocky Ford.

Travelers can check current road conditions at COtrip.org or by downloading the COtrip Planner app.