Date Changed – PVREA pole installs with helicopter moved up to tomorrow, April 5

Amy Blunck

PVREA members in that area will be a part of a planned outage from 8 am to 4 pm. Some trailheads will be closed.

Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) in conjunction with Foothills Energy will be undergoing an additional pole installation project utilizing a helicopter on Friday, April 5, 2018 from 8 a.m. to approximately noon in Lower Poudre Canyon. PVREA had recently conducted similar construction work in January of this year.

Crews will be removing and installing new electric poles with a helicopter. For safety purposes and in cooperation with the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, certain areas of the canyon and trailheads will be closed and brief road closures on Highway 14 will occur while PVREA completes the work.

The general public can expect brief and periodic road closures on Highway 14 from Grey Rock Trailhead to Poudre Park. In addition, Hewlett Gulch Trailhead and Grey Rock Trailhead will be closed on April 5 to all members of the public during the construction. PVREA anticipates the helicopter work to be completed and reopen the trailheads by noon on April 5, 2018.

PVREA uses a helicopter to complete power line construction in areas where it is deemed too dangerous for bucket trucks to access the area, such as very hilly and rocky terrain. The helicopter is registered with the Federal Aviation Administration and is experienced in utility line work.

For the safety of the general public, road closures and trailhead closures are necessary during helicopter flight. The helicopter cannot fly over any members of the public; in addition, any homes in which the helicopter must fly over, will be evacuated. These homeowners were notified by PVREA.

PVREA will remove existing poles and replace with new poles. This work is part of the PVREA’s construction work plan which maintains reliable and safe electricity to its members.

All construction work with the helicopter has been arranged with the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland.

PVREA is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving nearly 42,000 homes and businesses in Larimer, Weld, and Boulder Counties in Northern Colorado.