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Skiers and snowboarders will flock to the mountains for fresh snow and Spring Break fun this weekend. Snow will linger in the morning hours between Denver and the mountains. Saturday and Sunday will be partly cloudy for most of the mountain corridor, although rain is in the forecast for the Vail Valley on Saturday and light snow between Denver and Idaho Springs on Sunday morning. The below travel forecast will help you enjoy More mountains. Less traffic!
Friday WB –Traffic will start to build by 6:30 a.m., peak with 15 minutes of delay around 8:00 a.m. and abate by 11:00 a.m. Be prepared for winter road conditions and slow travel. Congestion will build again in the afternoon, with slow travel between 2:30 and 7:00 p.m. and 20+ minutes of delay.
Friday EB – There will be heavy traffic between 2:00-6:00 pm as day skiers return to the Denver area. Delays could amount to as much as 60 minutes.
Saturday WB – The last two years on this day there were accidents that resulted in almost 2 hours of delay. Drive smart out there! Accidents aside, plan on traffic congestion between 6:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. with approximately 30 minutes extra travel time from C470 to Silverthorne.
Saturday EB – Heavy volume is likely between 1:00 and 7:30 p.m. with 35 minutes of extra travel time.
Sunday WB – Expect slowing from about 6:00-10:30 a.m. with delays of up to 50 minutes. Snow is forecasted this morning between Denver and Idaho Springs.
Sunday EB – Traffic will build around Noon and continue until approximately 7:30 p.m. Last year travelers experienced 45 minutes of extra travel time between Silverthorne and C470.
*The GoI70.com Travel Forecast is based on historical data, along with an estimation of how weather, construction, public events and other factors might impact travel.
Mild and dry through Thursday. Snow showers increase on Friday and Saturday, followed by our next chance for significant snowfall beginning around Sunday, March 24. Snow likely continues through the final week of March.
Read the full forecast
Weather, Road Conditions & Accidents are impossible to predict and can escalate the level and duration of delays dramatically. Check CDOT’s CoTrip.org before you travel.
Colorado’s Traction Law is in effect Sept 1-May 31, regardless of current weather conditions. Learn if your tires meet the Traction Law specifications here.
The Mountain Express Lanes are open on the weekends and holidays to provide a faster and more reliable travel time between Denver and the mountains. Get the Express Toll pass to pay the posted toll rate. Those without a pass will be billed the posted rate plus a service charge. Order the pass at ExpressToll.com.
Holiday Weekends – When a national holiday falls on a Monday, you can count on Monday afternoon eastbound traffic similar to a typical Sunday pattern, but with higher volume.
Metering - Traffic metering goes into effect during very high-volume times at the Eisenhower Johnson Tunnel on the eastbound approach. Metering controls the flow of traffic eastbound towards the Eisenhower Tunnel so traffic does not back up in the tunnel, causing potential safety issues.
With just a bit of planning, travelers can enjoy More Mountains, Less Traffic. Below is the typical winter weekend traffic pattern. The heaviest volumes on the I-70 mountain corridor occur around the holidays and on weekends in January and February, but plan for weekend traffic during the entire ski season. Check the detailed weekend Travel Forecast at the top of this page, posted each Thursday.
Friday Westbound – Traffic volumes are moderate from approximately 2:00-7:00 p.m. with congestion the most likely to occur in the Floyd Hill area.
Friday Eastbound – A relatively new occurrence, as more daytrippers ski on Friday, there is often slowing 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Saturday Westbound – To beat the traffic, plan to leave the Front Range by 6:00 a.m. Traffic is consistently at its highest between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., resulting in up to one hour of additional travel time. Speeds return to normal soon after Noon.
Saturday Eastbound - Saturday eastbound traffic tends to be lower in volume than Sunday. Avoid the 2:00-5:00 p.m. timeframe.
Sunday Westbound - Traffic is less of an issue westbound on Sunday mornings but delays are possible in the 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. timeframe.
Sunday Eastbound - I-70 traffic starts to build as early as 11:30 a.m. The peak of the traffic occurs between 3:00-6:00 and drops off soon after 8:00 pm. Expect heavy traffic. To avoid the jam, stay in the mountains for dinner, or spend Sunday night and head back to work or school Monday morning. GoI70.com Peak time Deals provide incentives to avoid peak travel times.