Today is the kick-off of the 20^th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge in Frisco, and this is a “don’t miss” Summit County event.   It runs through Saturday, June 15 so come up and get some barbecue!!

This is the first summer weekend where Sunday congestion could be a factor.  Traffic volumes on this weekend last year resulted in the following delays:

- 7 minute westbound delay on Friday at 4 p.m.
- 12 minute westbound delay on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
- 1 minute eastbound delay on Saturday afternoon.
-63 minute eastbound delay on Sunday afternoon/evening.  Congestion started at 11:00 a.m., steadily built to a peak at 4:00 p.m., and cleared out soon after 7:30 p.m.

Overall, a great weekend to travel in the high country, just plan around that Sunday eastbound crawl.

The GoPro Mountain Games are the nation’s largest celebration of mountain sport, lifestyle and music featuring top professional and amateur athletes from around the world.  The environmentally-friendly adventure sporting event hosts approximately 3,500 outdoor athletes, along with an estimated 45,000 spectators.  Athletes converge on Vail’s mountains and rivers to compete in nine sports and 25 disciplines for over $100,000 in prize money.  Events include kayaking, rafting, stand up paddling, mountain biking, road cycling, World Cup Bouldering, amateur climbing, fly-fishing, trail running, the slackline world championships and a half marathon.  Additional events at the GoPro Mountain Games include: a film series, Outdoor Reels; a photography competition, Mountain Click; an interactive expo area, Gear Town; DockDog canine competitions and free concerts at Mountains of Music.  The GoPro Mountain Games are a project of the Vail Valley Foundation. www.gopromountaingames.com / 888.883.VAIL(8245)

Avoid the eastbound rush back to the Front Range and stay for the Sunday, 4:00 Kayak finals, and hugely popular Dock Dogs Big Air finals!

Georgetown Hill
June 3-6, 10am till Dark, right hand lane for WB traffic will be closed.

Fall River Road Area
June 3-6, 10a till Dark, single lane closures as needed for WB traffic.

Twin Tunnel Project
In addition to the frontage road detour, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will have the following lane closures taking place, east and/or west of the Twin Tunnels, for concrete placement and truck hauling operations:

• Monday, June 3
• 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one       lane closed eastbound
• Tuesday, June 4
• 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one       lane closed eastbound
• 4 p.m. to midnight –       one lane closed westbound (tunnel washing)
• Wednesday, June 5
• 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one       lane closed eastbound
• Thursday, June 6
• 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. – one       lane closed eastbound
• Friday, June 7
• 6 a.m. to noon – one       lane closed eastbound

• Saturday, June 8
  6 a.m. to 11 a.m. – one      lane closed eastbound

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 is posted daily on the project hotline, (303) 327-4034 or webpage –www.coloradodot.info/projects/i70twintunnels

Traffic congestion should not be a problem this weekend.  Of course slower speeds are to be expected through the 1 mile detour at the eastbound Twin Tunnel, east of Idaho Springs.

If you are a weekday commuter, check back here on Sunday to learn of the construction scheduled for next week!

Have a fantastic weekend!!

This weekend marks the beginning of summer for many of us, regardless of what the calendar says or if schools are out yet.  Memorial Day weekend traffic on the I-70 mountain corridor is typically spread out enough that volume and congestion are not a problem.  Eastbound afternoon delays typically don’t rear their ugly heads until we get into June.   To play it safe, if you travel eastbound on Monday, don’t jump on I-70 until after 6:00 p.m.

Construction projects, such as the Twin Tunnel Project, will be put on hold for the three day weekend.

I-70 road and traffic information is available on the cotrip.org website, by calling 511, or on the mobile app available through your app store.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

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.