US 160 Bridge Scour Countermeasures, San Juan River
Project Overview
The US 160 bridge over the San Juan River near Pagosa Springs, Colorado was losing ground. River scour had begun undermining one of the bridge abutments, threatening the long-term stability of the structure. Colorado Department of Transportation needed a contractor with the discipline and field capacity to execute in a regulated waterway and close out before spring. Meridian was awarded the project as general contractor and completed all work on schedule, January through April 2024.
-
4
months | January to April 2024
-
0
environmental violations
-
0
scope changes
-
CDOT
reference on future bids
The Problem / Challenge
The San Juan River is habitat for an endangered fish species. Colorado Parks and Wildlife required all in-water work to be completed before the spring spawn season, setting a hard April 2024 deadline with no flexibility. Meridian planned and executed a cofferdam dewatering sequence specifically to meet that constraint. When a supplier fell behind on material production mid-project, Meridian shifted self-performing crews to other site work while material stockpiled. The schedule held.
Meridian's Approach
Meridian held a direct contract with CDOT as general contractor. Self-performing crews handled all primary scope. Before construction began, CDOT's formal partnering process brought both parties to the table to align on objectives, surface risks from both sides, and establish a clear escalation ladder. Meridian entered that process with an existing CDOT relationship and a sequenced dewatering plan already in place. One superintendent ran all on-site operations, coordinating self-performing crews, subcontractors, material deliveries, and direct communication with the owner's representative from start to finish.
Outcome
The project closed on time and within budget. No environmental violations. All turbidity monitoring requirements for in-water dewatering were met. The bridge abutment was stabilized and the upstream bank armored against further scour. CDOT has since cited Meridian as a reference on subsequent bids, proof that reliable execution builds the relationships that produce repeat work.
The Right Contractor Makes All the Difference
Meridian brings self-performing crews, in-house materials, and a track record of repeat work to every project.