Posted on 02/20/2016 2:35:25 AM PST by uglybiker
CDOT: I-70 reopening delayed until at least Saturday
A tractor-trailer got caught in a rockslide Monday along I-70 in Glenwood Canyon in Colorado. Photo courtesy of the Colorado DOT
UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m. Central: I-70 through Glenwood Canyon is likely to remain closed at least until Saturday, CDOT says, as inclement weather has created delays in crews’ progress bringing additional rocks down onto the highway and restoring safety. The opening time and day will be dependent on CDOT’s ability to complete mitigation and clear the roadway with the current weather conditions.
UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 18, 9:40 a.m. Central: The Colorado DOT updated the I-70 closure situation Wednesday night, saying it still hopes to open the section through Glenwood Canyon to one lane with alternating traffic Thursday afternoon, but it’s not sure if that will be a possibility.
“Rock scaling operations continued [Wednesday]Â in Glenwood Canyon, bringing significantly more debris down from the slope than originally anticipated,” CDOT said in its update. “Rockfall crews are continuing to stabilize the slope and rockfall mitigation fencing will be installed on top of the westbound barrier walls. Crews will also be working to remove the damaged wall and guardrail in the westbound lanes.”
CDOT went on to say crews will be ready to implement single-lane, alternating traffic control if it is determined the site is safe for travel.
“Once implemented, the pilot car configuration will run about six miles with traffic being staged on the east side of Hanging Lake Tunnel and the crossover will be at the Grizzly Creek rest area,” CDOT said. “The Grizzly Creek, Hanging Lake and Shoshone rest areas will be closed during the duration of the pilot car operation. Bair Ranch and No Name rest areas will remain open. Motorists should expect at least an hour delay getting through the canyon during the pilot car operation.”
UPDATE: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 8:30 a.m. Central: The Colorado DOT says the section of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon will remain closed until mid to late Thursday. CDOT crews and contractors are continuing rock scaling at the location in an attempt to bring down any additional debris, CDOT said in its most recent update. Crews will also install rockfall mitigation fences on the westbound lanes.
On Thursday, a pilot car operation – directing single-lane, alternating traffic – will be implemented and traffic will be routed to the eastbound lanes, which did not incur as much damage. The pilot car operation could be in place for several days while early repairs and additional rock stabilization are completed. As repairs progress, CDOT will move to open one lane in each direction. It could be several weeks before the damage to the roadway walls and roadway are repaired and the interstate is fully open to regular traffic operations, CDOT said.
Original story below:
A portion of I-70 in Colorado is closed following a rockslide that occurred early Monday, Feb. 15, around 2:30 a.m., according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The rockslide occurred in Glenwood Canyon at mile marker 124.2, directly west of Hanging Lake Tunnel and eight miles east of Glenwood Springs. The Colorado Department of Transportation said it flagged traffic through the area throughout the day Monday as it worked to clear the boulders, but another rockslide Monday night around 9:03 p.m. caused the full closure of I-70 through the canyon.
Courtesy CDOT.
CDOT said it’s unknown when the Interstate will reopen. The alternate route for westbound motorists is north on CO 131 at Wolcott to Steamboat Springs, west on U.S. 40 to Craig, then south on CO 13 to Rifle and back to I-70. This is a 203-mile alternate route that will take about three hours and 50 minutes to travel. This detour adds 146 miles and about three hours to a regular trip from Wolcott to Rifle on I-70, which is 67 miles or about 45 minutes.
A tractor-trailer got caught in the landslide Monday night and was disabled, CDOT said, but no injuries were reported. With the help of the Colorado State Patrol on Tuesday morning, crews were able to clear out any tractor-trailers that were stuck in the canyon. Passenger vehicles were cleared out overnight, CDOT said. A geohazards team is on site and in a helicopter evaluating the damage and, according to the CDOT, there is roadway, retaining wall and bridge/guardrail damage.
For updates on I-70’s status and other Colorado travel information, check the CDOT's website.
Oof! That’s no fun.
What beautiful landscape! Except, of course, for the boulders blocking the road and the damage.
I’ve been on the I-70 from Aspen to Denver. Passes right over the Continental Divide. The fun part is driving through the Eisenhower Tunnel under the mountains.
I-70 is a horrible road to travel in the winter. Best to just go I-40 and avoid frequent closures.
Thank God nobody was hurt.
We drove through that area not too long ago. At that time there was construction with minor delays. My wife wondered outloud what do they do if the road gets cut off. Apparently a very realistic concern. What an amazing, scenic part of the country if you can make it out there though - magnificent!
Beautiful area. When going through on a motorcycle I say a little prayer that all those rocks stay up on the mountain!
158 MPH wind is the area did not help.
Best bet between October and May is to travel I-80 or I-40. If traveling to Grand Junction, take US 50 from I-25. Even when there’s no weather you can get mudslides, rockslides, lingering snow, and road-crippling accidents due to blowing winds, icy conditions, and heavy ski traffic.
Got over the mountain before the snow hit, forcing chains and some closures
Didn't realize until the next day, watching the news over breakfast at a truck stop, what serious winter is, in Colorado
Good thing too ... not only did I have no chains, I had never put a set on in my life ... I would have been stuck or dead.
There are large rocks out there. I have a large rock in my yard that is used for landscaping purposes.
It’s fracking! /s
Never heard of a pilot car concept.
Appears to be traffic in a single lane, alternating in direction.
We seldom need snow chains here in Colorado. Except at the higher elevations, snow seldom lasts long enough to justify their use. A couple of weeks of sunshine, warmer temperatures and the snow is gone. You’d hardly believe winter was around here.
My experience was around 2005 / 6
Just keeping it real....I didn't care for Vail. (1) I couldn't afford to do it up in luxury (2) It had pretty much become just another busy exit off an interstate.
Even back then, it was mind-boggling, the numbers of folks rich enough to have multi-million dollar mansions in those hills, vacant for most of the year. It was one of the first indications that the economy was out of balance.
I had thought about going to ski at Sunlight over Spring Break to beat the crowds.
Spent many hours running I - 70
From Colorado east it is a busy road. This section in Colorado is an engineering nightmare but beautiful.
The thing about I-70 is that it goes only to the NS I-15 in Utah. There you have to switch to US 50 if you want to continue West. You drop south to Vegas on I-15 or jog north to Salt Lake and grab I-80 but if you are coming from the east and try to go transcontinental, best to use I-80 or I-40 which each have closures in this time of year as well.
sounds like you know the area. My mother grew up in Oak Creek, which is on the way to Steamboat via Rt 131 (exit 157) from I-70...the route which is mentioned for the detour. Mom sure remembers the winters up in Oak Creek. Travel was rare...and it was long before I-70! :)
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