Photos of the Day: What the flood did to Colorado roads

On the left side of the image above is a shot of the US 34 bypass east of Greeley before the incredible flooding that swamped much of Colorado. To the right is a shot of the damage done by the rushing waters, and no surprise: According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, which shared the pic above and those below, the South Platte Basin in Fort Morgan has measured flows equivalent to the Mississippi River. Continue to see more jarring photos |(and one video) of damaged roadways, accompanied by CDOT descriptions. "Here's a look of what we're up against on US 36 north of Lyons. Unfortunately, we are still assessing the damage of the flooding, and because the rain has started back up, we have had to put our assessments on hold for the safety of our crews." (Posted September 16) "It's a little fuzzy, but this is something you don't see every day. Our guys were able to get into our Evans maintenance shed today to assess the damage, retrieve valuable CDOT assets, and grab some personal items for our employees. This photo shows how high the water got during the peak of the flooding. Glad we had already evacuated!" (Posted September 15) "We're used to braving avalanches, snow, ice, rockfall, mudslides, sinkholes, and a variety of other conditions that Mother Nature throws at us. But this flood is a whole different animal. This was the scene earlier today when our guys checked on our Evans maintenance shed. Not only is it submerged in water (hence the divers) but the highways surrounding it were also closed. Hang in there with us folks! We are working 24/7 to keep as many highways open and safe as possible using every resource we have." (Posted September 14) Continue for more photos of what the flood did to Colorado roads. "Here's a great example of why we continue to have some highways closed! Although drivers may see that waters are receding in some areas and some highways make look passable, there are hidden dangers underneath the roadway (like this example from I-70 in Denver) that you can't see. Please be patient with us as we continue to work on the issues related to the flooding - our priority is always to keep all of you as safe as possible!" (Posted September 14) "Major Flooding Update: Our amazing crews have successfully opened a route for residents of Town of Estes Park Colorado to get in and out of town!" (Posted September 13) "Good morning! We are still working to monitor highway closures, assess damage, and make repairs after the flooding." (Posted September 13) Continue for more photos of what the flood did to Colorado roads. "Apparently State Highway in the Poudre Canyon now has a waterfall feature as part of the highway! We still have crews out around-the-clock assessing damage, cleaning roadways, and fixing what they can." (Posted September 13) "We strongly encourage motorists to check highway closures before heading out on the highways at www.cotrip.org." (Posted September 12)

Post by Colorado Department of Transportation.

More from our News archive: "Videos: Startling aerial footage of flooding in Lyons, Longmont."