Rescheduled: CDOT asks motorists to plan for CO 91 overnight closure at Copper Mountain Road on Oct. 29

Travel Advisory

October 23, 2020 - Northwestern Colorado - Travelers will be able to access I-70 from Leadville by detouring on US 24 through Minturn

SUMMIT COUNTY — An overnight full closure of Colorado Highway 91 will take place Oct. 29 near Copper Mountain. The closure will allow crews to install a new pedestrian bridge over the intersection of CO 91 and Copper Road, which is located just south of Interstate 70. Nighttime travelers seeking access to I-70 from Leadville will be detoured via US Highway 24 through Minturn.

“The bridge will be installed overnight to minimize the impact to travelers on CO 91,” explained Jason Lederer, senior resource specialist for Summit County Open Space & Trails. “This is the first, and likely, only time we will be impacting motorists to build this trail. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding while we work on this exciting improvement to our trail system.”

Travelers will be able to access Copper Mountain from I-70 throughout the duration of the closure.

The new bridge is a part of the larger Fremont Pass Recreational Pathway Project. This project is a collaboration between Summit and Lake counties, the U.S. Forest Service and the Climax Molybdenum Company. The new pathway will connect Summit and Lake counties’ pathway systems and will pass through National Forest and Climax-owned properties over Fremont Pass and along Colorado Highway 91 Top of the Rockies National Scenic Byway.

The project is being funded through the Federal Lands Access Program grant, Summit County, the State of Colorado and a local nonprofit organization of bicyclists. This three-mile section of trail runs along Tenmile Creek and is expected to open in early summer 2021.


TRAVEL IMPACTS
The closure will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. The detour will redirect traffic from Leadville through Minturn using US 24 and I-70, which adds 36 miles and approximately 30-40 minutes to travel time. Please see below for a map of the detour.

PROJECT INFORMATION
For additional information about this project, please contact the project information line at 970-456-4456 or [email protected] to sign up for updates.

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:


CO 91 Detour Map

 

REMEMBER: SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.

  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

  • Be patient!

COVID-19 

Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for all of us, particularly for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, CDOT maintenance and construction crews  follow social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO by practicing social distancing and wearing face masks.  As traffic returns to normal levels, motorists must drive cautiously and heed the speed limit so all of us can return home safely. 

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY. 

In early 2019, 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 multimodal mobility options.