The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
GVH asking for clarity on the plan for EMS
[ by Katherine Nettles ]
The Highway 50 Little Blue Creek Canyon improvement project is set to begin next month in a major effort that involves daily scheduled closures and a duration of at least two years. In preparation for that, the Federal Highway Administration, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and American Civil Constructors, LLC Mountain West, are hosting two public open house events on Tuesday, March 16 — virtually from 12-1 p.m. and in-person in Montrose from 5-7 p.m. at the Montrose County Event Center. An in-person open house will be held in Gunnison on Wednesday, March 24 from 5-7 p.m. at the Recreation Center. The project team will provide information about the upcoming project, travel impacts, and construction detours. There is also a new website ( www.us50info.com) where the public can access updated information and closure schedules.
The highway improvement project will cover four miles between mileposts 123 and 127 about 33 miles from Gunnison. The primary detour will be on Highway 92 that begins at the west end of Blue Mesa Reservoir and ends up in the North Fork Valley by Crawford.
One of the lingering questions, aside from how long the project will last, is how Emergency Medical Services can plan for patient transfers between Montrose, Grand Junction and Gunnison County.
In a quarterly hospital update with county commissioners on March 9, Gunnison Valley Hospital CEO Rob Santilli expressed an adaptable mentality to managing transport needs along the Little Blue Creek Canyon route, but said the hospital system has not been kept in the loop.
“We’re trying to get a clear idea of how our services will work,” he said of the GVH EMS system that coordinates with other areas to get patients to specialized critical care when needed.
“The fastest way for a cardiac patient to the catheter lab in Montrose is through [the canyon],” Santilli commented to commissioners. He said the question is how to get to Montrose or Grand Junction during scheduled closures. He said no communications have been forthcoming. “Our EMS folks came to us and were concerned that there was not a plan in place at this time. We are hoping for clarity on that soon,” he said.
Commissioner chairperson Jonathan Houck asked Santilli if they understand the schedules, openings, or that the position the commissioners and majority of their constituents have taken on the timeline which is a preference for completing the project in two years versus three. “If you guys had a concrete schedule of the openings combined with strategic understanding of how to transport patients and emergency services, is that the need I am hearing from you?” asked Houck.
“Yes, Jonathan. We’re totally in lockstep with you on making this the shortest project we can,” responded Santilli. “We just haven’t heard any plan that takes that into consideration.”
Commissioner Liz Smith said there is a planned mobile crew that can work with emergency vehicles. If blasting has not started they will halt to let them through, and if the blasting has started there will be coordination around those activities.
Commissioner Roland Mason agreed that emergency vehicles waiting in the queue is not an option, for ambulance or fire. He said he understands that a temporary communication line will be set up to assist with coordinating these efforts where there is no cellular service within the canyon.
“With that communication set-up, I think we will be able to convey those needs from the Gunnison side and the Montrose side and vice-versa,” said Mason.
Santilli said he knows the EMS system will prioritize care flights where possible, especially in summer, and trips to Colorado Springs where it is possible. His request would be that, “Before it starts, there is a clear plan in place.”
The canyon closure schedules and estimated project completion date of November 2022 are listed along with other pertinent information on the new project website at www.us50info.com.
