GoI70

TWIN TUNNEL PROJECT

Check the daily blasting schedule at 303-327-4034.  This hotline offers the most up-to-date info on the Twin Tunnel Project impacts.

GEORGETOWN AREA 

10 a.m. to dark: Tuesday through Thursday – traffic stops of 20 minutes on eastbound and westbound    I-70, approximately twice an hour

10 a.m. to dark: Tuesday through Thursday – right lane closure.

IDAHO SPRINGS AREA

10 a.m. to dark: Tuesday through Thursday – single lane closure westbound, about one mile west of Idaho Springs.

PLEASE NOTE:  CDOT personnel from this project and the I-70 Twin Tunnels widening project are coordinating traffic stops to minimize wait times for motorists.  The goal is to avoid double stops for drivers.  However, backups are still possible at the Twin Tunnels due to lane closures.

CDOT anticipates that this is the final week of rock work until late 2013.  Sporadic lane closures remain a possibility for the last week of May if any more mitigation is necessary.   

            Weekly lane closure information about this and other projects is available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html  or by calling 511.  To receive project updates via e-mail, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner.  The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including I-70 West, Denver to Glenwood Springs.

CDOT’s new smartphone application also is providing drivers with easier access to I-70 traveler information.  It includes travel speeds and times, road conditions, incidents, road work; and feeds from CDOT’s closed-circuit television cameras and alerts.  Text CDOT to 25827 or download CDOT Mobile from your App store.

TWIN TUNNEL PROJECT

Check blasting schedule daily at

 
Lane Closures

• Sunday, May 12
• 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday – one lane closed eastbound
• Monday, May 13
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one lane closed eastbound
• 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday – one lane closed eastbound
• Tuesday, May 14
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one lane closed eastbound
• 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday – one lane closed eastbound
• Wednesday, May 15
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one lane closed eastbound
• 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday – one lane closed eastbound
• Thursday, May 16
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one lane closed eastbound
• 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday – one lane closed eastbound
• Friday, May 17
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one lane closed eastbound
• 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday – one lane closed eastbound
• Saturday, May 18
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one lane closed eastbound

GEORGETOWN AREA ROCK SCALING

10 a.m. to dark: Monday through Thursday – right lane closure.

10 a.m. to dark: Tuesday through Thursday – traffic stops of 20 minutes on eastbound and westbound    I-70, approximately twice an hour; right lane closure all other times, as needed.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) must stop traffic whenever rock work is taking place above the highway to maintain safety through the area for the traveling public.

IDAHO SPRINGS AREA ROCK SCALING

10 a.m. to dark: Monday through Thursday – single lane closure westbound, about one mile west of Idaho Springs.

TWIN TUNNEL PROJECT

Check the daily blasting schedule at

IDAHO SPRINGS AREA

Overnight traffic stops of 20 minutes on eastbound and westbound I-70 Monday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

GEORGETOWN AREA

Right lane closed westbound from Georgetown to Silver Plume 10 a.m. to sundown, Monday, May 6, through Thursday, May 9.

PLEASE NOTE:  CDOT personnel from this project and the I-70 Twin Tunnels widening project are coordinating traffic stops to minimize wait times for motorists.  The goal is to avoid double stops for drivers.  However, backups are still possible at the Twin Tunnels due to lane closures.

Weekly lane closure information about this and other projects is available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html, by calling 511, via email or text (visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner.) 

CDOT’s new smartphone application also is providing drivers with easier access to I-70 traveler information. Text CDOT to 25827 or download CDOT Mobile from your App store.

 Twin Tunnel Project

Check the blasting schedule the evening before you travel at:

Georgetown/Fal River Road Areas

Lane closures and traffic stops are taking place on Interstate 70 at Fall River Road and Georgetown Hill next week for rock scaling and fence installation, weather permitting. 

·        Monday, April 29, through Thursday, May 2

o   Right lane closed westbound from Georgetown to Silver Plume – 10 a.m. to sundown

o   Traffic stops of 20 minutes on eastbound and westbound I-70 throughout the day (approximately twice each hour) from 10:30 a.m. until sundown.  All traffic will be stopped east and west of Fall River Road, one mile west of Idaho Springs.

PLEASE NOTE:  CDOT personnel from this project and the I-70 Twin Tunnels widening project are coordinating traffic stops to minimize wait times for motorists.  The goal is to avoid double stops for drivers.  However, backups are still possible at the Twin Tunnels due to lane closures. 

Weekly lane closure information about this and other projects is available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html  or by calling 511.  To receive project updates via e-mail, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner.  The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including I-70 West, Denver to Glenwood Springs.

Lane closures at the Twin Tunnels (east of Idaho Springs) will continue this week.  Also, starting in mid-April, the frequency of blasting at the Twin Tunnels will increase.  Rock blasting will result in traffic being stopped in both directions for 20-30 minutes, possibly several times per 24 hour period.  Check the daily blasting schedule by calling 303-327-4034, or by clicking this web button. 

 

 Other Lane Closures:

Rock scaling activities will also result in lane closures near Georgetown andn Fall River Road.  Details for the week of April 14 are here.

For Monday, April 8, through Thursday, April 11:

• Right lane closed westbound from Georgetown to Silver Plume – 10 a.m. to sundown
• Traffic stops of 20 minutes on eastbound and westbound I-70 throughout the day (approximately twice each hour) from 10:30 a.m. until sundown.  All traffic will be stopped east and west of Fall River Road, one mile west of Idaho Springs.

PLEASE NOTE:  CDOT personnel from this project and the I-70 Twin Tunnels widening project are coordinating traffic stops to minimize wait times for motorists.  The goal is to avoid double stops for drivers.  However, backups are still possible at the Twin Tunnels due to lane closures the week of April 8.  Get the Twin Tunnel Project blasting schedule at

Weekend Travel

Last year on this weekend there was almost zero congestion.  The year before that, the only traffic to speak of occurred eastbound on Sunday with a peak delay of 36 minutes.   Traffic built up quickly at 2:00 p.m., peaked about 3:30, and was completely over just after 6:00 p.m.  This year is different in that there is a one mile eastbound detour in place (see below), but hopefully that won’t add much additional time to the drive. Let us know what your experience was through the detour area with a comment below!

There is a 30-40% chance of precipitation Friday-Sunday, so there might be some fresh snow!

The frontage road now is functioning as the one-mile detour route for all eastbound traffic just east of Idaho Springs, allowing full-scale excavation work to get underway at the Twin Tunnels. Blasting and/or rock scaling operations will require 20 to 30 minute traffic stops at various times throughout the week, not including peak travel periods such as Saturday mornings or Sunday afternoons. The daily blasting schedule will be posted daily on the project hotline, (303) 327-4034, at www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels or by clicking on the “It’s About Time” web button above.

This weekend is your last chance to travel through the eastbound Twin Tunnel near Idaho Springs for a while.  The two-lane eastbound detour bypassing the Twin Tunnels on County Road 314 is scheduled to open April 1 and will be in place through late 2013.  Learn more about this significant project at 

 

Travel Forecast for this weekend….

Westbound to the Mountains
As is very typical for Saturday and Sunday, traffic often builds around 6:00 a.m., peaks at 8:00, with traffic back to an easy flow by 10:00 a.m.  Saturday and Sunday westbound congestion was not a factor on this weekend the past two years.

Eastbound to the Front Range
On this Saturday in previous years, skiers and riders started filing onto I-70 around 2:00 pm.  Delays shouldn’t be too significant barring any accidents or weather.   Sunday is always a bigger eastbound travel day on I-70.  Traffic might start getting thick by 12:00 p.m., and could last past the usual 6:00 p.m. timeframe.   Your best bet will be to stay in the mountains for dinner, and then miss most of the traffic heading back after the dinner hour.  Check out the GoI70 Deals, and find a reason to stay late!

Enjoy the spring skiing!

The Twin Tunnels Project launches the I-70 Mountain Corridor safety and mobility improvements by adding one eastbound lane from the East Idaho Springs Interchange to US 6 including expanding the eastbound tunnel to accommodate three lanes.  To expedite construction, from April through late 2013, I-70 eastbound traffic will be detoured around the tunnel to the two lane frontage road that parallels I-70 and Clear Creek.  Travelers on I-70 and recreational users of Clear Creek will also be stopped prior to the Twin Tunnels area for rock-blasting sequences which could occur several times a day. Traffic will be stopped for up to 30 minutes for each blast.  Lane closures and traffic stops for blasting are planned for low volume traffic periods such as during the week days and overnight.  Remember there will be NO construction lane closures during high traffic periods and the mountains are open for business during construction. The Twin Tunnels Project sets that stage for future I-70 Mountain Corridor projects that will collectively improve travel times and safety.

For updated project information, visit the project website at www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels.  For the daily blasting schedule, call the information hotline at (303) 327-4034, or visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels/blasting-schedule.html  

Snow is in the forecast for this weekend with a 90% chance on Saturday and 40% chance on Sunday.  Good snow tires and some extra time might be in order as you travel I-70 this weekend.  Here is what the traffic might look like this weekend, based on historical data….

Westbound to the Mountains
As is very typical for Saturday and Sunday mornings, traffic will build around 6:00 a.m., peak at 8:00, with traffic back to an easy flow by 10:00 a.m.  Expect approximately 10-20 minutes of delay if traveling from Golden to Vail.

Eastbound to the Front Range
On Saturday, skiers and riders might start filing onto I-70 at 2:00 pm.  Delays shouldn’t be too significant barring accidents or weather.  

Sunday is always a bigger travel day on I-70.  Recent years on this weekend, traffic started building at 1:00 p.m., and peaked at less than 30 minutes, and lighted up before 7:00 p.m.   Your best bet to miss most of the traffic heading back to the Metro area will be to stay in the mountains for dinner.  Score a good dining deal, or find a fun way to spend your time in the mountains by checking out our Deals.

Real Time Travel Info

No matter how you like to get your real-time I-70 information, there is a tool for you.  Learn more here.

Enjoy the spring skiing!