I-70 rockfall work ongoing

November 29, 2019 - Denver Metro Area, Colorado -  Travelers should seek alternate routes; no I-70 access to Western Slope from Clear Creek

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY ― CDOT continues to respond to a rockfall that has closed both lanes of westbound I-70 at mile marker 248 near Beaver Brook--video from that work is attached. Closures and delays continue to be extensive. 

Eastbound I-70 closure is closed at 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. today as CDOT crews perform mitigation work in Clear Creek County to remove rock that has become unstable. Closures on eastbound I-70 are located at Exit 203 Frisco and Exit 205 Silverthorne, and eastbound US 6 Loveland Pass will be closed from Arapahoe Basin to I-70. Travelers should expect delays in both directions and seek alternate routes; check www.cotrip.org for the latest information.

We appreciate that the ongoing closure is disruptive to the traveling public and makes it difficult to travel to the mountains from the Front Range on the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, detour routes add significant delays to travel time, so those traveling may want to adjust their plans to avoid the closure. CDOT is working as quickly as possible to make the road safe for travelers and rockfall mitigation is happening right now.  Crews are now removing rocks that became unstable so that they do not fall onto the road and pose danger for travelers. We expect to have an update soon on how long the closure is expected to last.

DETOUR ROUTES: 

From Eastbound I-70 in the mountain corridor, use US-24, CO-91, or CO-9 to connect to US-285 towards Denver.

Denver metro-area travelers looking to go to destinations in Summit County and further west should use US-285 to CO-9 or US-24.

delays are likely on this route as well, as it does not normally carry traffic volumes as heavy as I-70. More details will be made available as crews determine the extent of the issue. 

 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

Earlier this year, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to heighten safety awareness. This initiative takes a systematic, statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated inter-regional express service. Governor Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s multi-modal mobility options.