People found living in tunnel under Colorado highway flyover

Lanie Lee Cook
·1 min read
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Story at a glance

  • Police say they found people living in a tunnel beneath a highway flyover in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

  • Now the state is working to clean out the encampment.

  • “It’s dangerous and needs to be cleaned out,” police said.

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (KDVR) — Police say they found people living in a tunnel beneath a highway flyover in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and now the state is working to clean out the encampment.

The Wheat Ridge Police Department released a video showing cluttered conditions inside the tunnel, located under the Highway 58 flyover at Interstate 70. Police said an officer found the encampment after spotting someone climbing into the tunnel.

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“It turns out people have been trespassing, living there and storing excessive amounts of trash and property throughout the length of the flyover,” the department said in a release.

In the video released Thursday, officers navigate through piles of boxes and other clutter, alongside hanging clothes, canned goods and other pantry items lined up on a table.

A uniformed officer inside a dark tunnel, surrounded by clutter, shines a flashlight
A uniformed officer inside a dark tunnel, surrounded by clutter, shines a flashlight

The Colorado Department of Transportation has contracted a company to clean out the encampment, police said. CDOT uses the tunnel to inspect the flyover.

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“It’s dangerous and needs to be cleaned out,” police said, adding that “detectives are standing by during the process in case there any stolen items are uncovered.”

Meanwhile, police said to expect a continued presence at the location.

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