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The 2011-2012 ski season brings with it not one, but two I-70 corridor ski bus services!  Both utilize coach buses that include TV/DVD streaming, bathroom, reclining seats, free WI-FI, and ample cargo space for ski gear.  Between the two companies, almost every I70 Corridor ski area is serviced.

Denver Ski Bus

Denver Ski Bus offers Saturday and Sunday trips from Boulder and Denver to Winter Park and Copper Mountain resorts starting this weekend, December 3. The Boulder bus has two pickups –Christy Sports at Flat Irons Mall and at CU Boulder.  The Denver bus pick-up location is Christy Sports at Denver West Plaza.  A basic breakfast will be available for purchase on morning trips and lunch sandwiches will be available, also for purchase, from local restaurants on return trips.  Denver Ski Bus offers its customers discounted ski lift tickets to Winter Park and Copper Mountain resorts and either same-day or next-day return trips are available.  Tickets are Adult $38, Kids $33 RT (11 years old and under.) Denver Ski Bus is a locally owned and operated business that partners with local businesses to support the local economy and to ensure that all products offered on its trips travel the shortest distance possible to the final customer.  Denver Ski Bus also offers ski charters targeted at student and ski clubs, as well as corporate and community. Ski charters can be fully customized and are available for travel to any Colorado resort.  For more information visit www.denskibus.com or contact Curt Spencer at 970-531-6612 or curt@denskibus.com.

University Ski Bus

Beginning January 7, University Ski Bus plans to make roundtrips every Saturday to Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek or Arapahoe Basin. Weekly destinations will be chosen based on customer demand.  Founded and operated by DU students, the service departs the University of Denver campus with tickets ranging from $19-$29.  A secondary pick up location of Regis University is being considered and might be added at a later date.  Learn more and purchase tickets at www.UniversitySkiBus.com. For more information, contact Tyler Perlmutter at (847) 830-8797 or tyler@perlmutter.net.

Imagine catching some extra ZZZs on the way up to the slopes, and after a hard day of skiing, kicking back to watch a movie or listen to your music?  Sounds a whole lot better than sitting in your car battling for position on I70!  A more enjoyable trip, and more environmentally way to travel to boot – check it out!

This is a Facebook and Twitter test post.

Some noteworthy travel updates for this Thanksgiving Holiday week and weekend:

Traffic will be fairly spread out Wednesday-Sunday, but expect approximately 15 minute westbound delays Wednesday noon-6:00 p.m., and Friday/Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. 

Eastbound delays should be expected Saturday and Sunday during the mid-late afternoon timeframe.  Keep an eye on GoI70.com/mobile for the real time status of delays, as well as Messages from your fellow travelers!

Expect lane closures both EB and WB Monday-Wednesday from 7:00 am- 4:00 pm at the Twin Tunnels, and the Hanging Lake Rest Area in Glenwood Canyon will be closed November 28-December 2.

CDOT’s Courtesy Patrol Begins

The Courtesy Patrol program begins on Friday, November 25.  Drivers of passenger and other smaller vehicles are provided free roadside assistance for services such as flat tires, fuel or water transfer, jump starts, short-distance towing, accident scene protection and minor mechanical assistance.  Three pickups and a tow truck patrol I-70 between the top of Floyd Hill and Vail, looking for disabled vehicles.  Truck personnel also respond to requests from the Colorado State Patrol, local police or the Eisenhower Tunnel.  Courtesy Patrol operates primarily on weekends (Saturdays 6 a.m. to 8 p.m./Sundays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.), including the holiday weekends of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President’s Day.  Following the holidays, patrols will run every weekend through April 1, 2012.

Have a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Expect various EB and WB lane closures on Floyd Hill between MM 241 & MM 247 beginning 7:00 am November 14 & ending 4:00 pm on November 18.   Delays of up to 20 minutes can be expected during the night shift. All work is weather permitting.

The right hand lane or the left hand lane at mile post 208.6-208.8 near Georgetown Hill will be closed for both EB & WB traffic November 14-17 8:00 am-4:00 pm and November 18 8am-Noon. Only one lane in each direction will be closed at a time.

Expect road work in the Floyd Hill area of I70 the week of Oct 31-Nov 4 during the day and night.  Beginning 7:00 am Monday & ending 4:00 pm Friday, various EB and WB lanes will be closed between MM 241 & MM 247. Delays of up to 20 minutes can be expected.  This information was provided by CDOT.

Our first winter storm is on its way, so it is highly recommended that you prepare your car or truck for winter travel.  This week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado and is an excellent time for I70 travelers to review their winter storm preparedness plans.  Winter storms are fantastic for the ski area, but can lead to dangerous travel conditions. 

A well-equipped vehicle has adequate tires, tire chains, tow rope, sand or cat litter for traction, shovel, tool kit, windshield scraper and brush, battery cables, first aid kit, flashlight, extra batteries, blankets and/or sleeping bags, extra clothing, candles, water‑proof matches, high calorie packaged food for quick energy and an empty can to melt snow for drinking. 

The best way to prevent treacherous winter travel is to avoid it. This can be done by staying informed about the current weather and road conditions as well as the latest weather forecasts. Information on road conditions in Colorado is available at www.GoI70.com and www.GoI70.com/mobile.   

If you should become stranded during a winter storm, stay with your vehicle and do not panic. If accompanied by others, take turns sleeping. Run the motor every hour for about ten minutes to maintain warmth, but keep windows open a little to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide. Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked. Keep the car visible with brightly colored cloths tied to the side view mirrors, door handles, or external antenna. Exercise periodically by vigorously moving arms, legs, toes and fingers. 

Roads which appear to be clear in the wintertime may actually be coated with a thin layer of ice, commonly known as black ice.   This nearly invisible ice layer can cause you to rapidly lose control of your vehicle. Black ice is most common during the nighttime hours. If you detect black ice, you should reduce your speed.  

When braking on icy and snow-packed roads, it is recommended that you apply steady pressure to the pedal just to the point of brake lock-up, allowing plenty of extra stopping distance. For those without anti-lock brakes, another suggestion is to gently tap on the brake pedal several times just prior to applying steady pressure.

Thank you to Eagle County Alert for sharing this information with GoI70!

This is the weekend to check out the fall colors along I70!  Expect some Sunday afternoon slowing in the usual spots – Idaho Springs to Floyd Hill, but historical data shows minimal delays on this weekend for the last two years as shown in the graph below.    

Enjoy the colors!

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) encourages the public to participate in a September 27 meeting regarding proposed improvements to immediately address safety issues and improve traffic flow at the Twin Tunnels east of Idaho Springs, one of the most critical congestion bottlenecks on the Interstate 70 (I-70) Mountain Corridor.

CDOT proposes widening the interstate to three eastbound lanes between Idaho Springs and the base of Floyd Hill, enlarging the eastbound bore of the tunnels and addressing safety issues on the eastbound highway curves between the tunnels and Floyd Hill. The Twin Tunnels Environmental Assessment (EA) will define the proposed improvements, provide information on impacts to environmental and community resources, and determine appropriate mitigation to minimize any impacts. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is expected to issue a decision by the fall of 2012.

If the project receives the federally required approvals, construction would begin in the spring of 2013, and will be open to traffic by the end of 2013. During this construction period, eastbound interstate traffic would be rerouted around the Twin Tunnels.

“While other problem areas exist, CDOT – with limited resources – has made Twin Tunnels a priority as one of the first projects on the corridor, because it is one of the most congested areas, with high crash rates, where we can provide immediate relief for eastbound traffic,” said Jim Bemelen, corridor manager for the I-70 Mountain Corridor. “It’s not going to solve all the problems on the corridor but will go a long way to improving safety and reducing travel delays at this location.”

CDOT estimates the project will cost approximately $60 million, Bemelen said.

During the public meeting on September 27, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Buffalo Bar, 1617 Miner St., Idaho Springs, CDOT transportation planners will provide information on the proposed improvements and solicit input from the public and other stakeholders. A presentation is scheduled at 6 p.m., during which questions will be answered.

For those unable to attend the meeting, CDOT has provided other opportunities for submitting comments and questions. Comments can be submitted via the project website, www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels, or in writing to: Jim Bemelen, I-70 Mountain Corridor Program Manager, CDOT Region 1, 18500 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, CO 80011-8017.

Twin Tunnels is the first proposed project in the corridor since the FHWA issued its Record of Decision for the I-70 Mountain Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) in June.

“Before embarking on this project, we must conduct the necessary federally-required environmental study to examine potential impacts of such a project and how the impacts could be avoided or mitigated,” Bemelen said. “This study is required to receive approval from the Federal Highway Administration so we can proceed with construction as soon as possible.”

A Project Leadership Team (PLT) including representatives from Idaho Springs, Clear Creek County, CDOT and FHWA will oversee the Twin Tunnels EA. A multi-discipline technical team comprised of transportation experts and local stakeholders has been formed to advise the analysis in the EA. Membership of the PLT, the technical team, and other information regarding the Twin Tunnels EA is available on the project website, www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels.

Project updates are available via e-mail.  Interested parties are encouraged to 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 Twin Tunnels.

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ABOUT THE TWIN TUNNELS EA: The Twin Tunnels Environmental Assessment (EA) is a Tier Two National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) study conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  The EA is considering improvements to the Twin Tunnels area east of Idaho Springs to Floyd Hill along the eastbound direction of the Interstate70 Mountain Corridor. The purpose of the proposed project is to improve capacity, mobility, and safety along this stretch of the interstate. The Environmental Assessment will define these improvements and provide information on potential impacts to environmental and community resources and determine appropriate avoidance or mitigation strategies to minimize those impacts. FHWA is expected to issue a decision in late 2012.  The study will honor all commitments in the I-70 Mountain Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision, and will be conducted in accordance with the I-70 Mountain Corridor Contest Sensitive Solutions guidance.  Additional information is available on the project website www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in coordination with the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), and Silverthorne Police Department (SPD), will be testing Rolling Speed Harmonization for a second time this weekend, along a longer stretch of Interstate 70.  Beginning at approximately 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 25, a single SPD car will switch on its emergency lights and merge ahead of traffic, starting just east of the Silverthorne Interchange. The police vehicle will use the center or left lane to pace eastbound vehicles, at speeds between 45 and 55 mph, to the entrance of the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnel (EJMT). At the entrance point, the SPD then will hand-off to the CSP, with the CSP pacing vehicles through the EJMT and east 18 miles to U.S. 40 (Empire Junction).

The 27-mile pacing operation will repeat about every five to 10 minutes, until around 2 p.m.  This Sunday’s operation is a follow-up to a test conducted on Saturday, August 13, along eastbound I-70 from Silverthorne to the EJMT. Data collected from that test indicated Rolling Speed Harmonization created more uniform speeds for vehicles, and as a result, could improve safety, reduce traffic crashes and ultimately improve traffic flow on the corridor. It also showed very high compliance and speed differentials were reduced, even between vehicle platoons – a key determinant since wide variations in speed lead to higher probability of accidents which, in turn, substantially increases congestion. Communication and operational coordination also worked well between CDOT, CSP and SPD.

“This will be a more extensive test since we’re investigating how traffic flows over a much longer stretch of highway and on a Sunday, when the volume of traffic tends to be significantly higher than on Saturday,” said CDOT Regional Transportation Director Tony DeVito. “We’re asking drivers who become part of the pacing operation to please use caution and cooperate with the officers who are conducting the operation.”

“Rolling Speed Harmonization can be considered a successful way to maximize traffic flow, improve safety and lower the number of accidents, which is a big contributor to traffic congestion,” added DeVito, “and that congestion leads to metering at the tunnel, which we would like to reduce since it inconveniences our customers on the corridor.”
CDOT holds or “meters” eastbound traffic at the tunnel when vehicle volumes exceed the capacity of I-70. When back-ups occur, CDOT stops vehicles from entering the tunnel, allowing traffic to clear, before releasing more traffic into the tunnel.

After Sunday’s test, CDOT, CSP and SPD will test its use again at the end of the year, during winter driving conditions. If data from the additional tests are favorable, Rolling Speed Harmonization could be implemented during heavier traffic periods during some winter weekends in 2012.

Weekend Travel Forecast

There might be some Sunday afternoon slowing, but historical data shows maximum delays of 0-16 minutes between Noon and 6:00 on this Sunday for the last four years. The speed harmonization exercise discussed above throws in a new variable, so be aware of that.