Posts Tagged ‘metering’

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!

The weather forecast calls for snow tonight into Saturday which will bring out lots of skiers this weekend.  Saturday could see both snow and wind, making travel a bit tricky.   Plan for the weather and to have lots of friends on the road.

Westbound to the Mountains

Friday:  Afternoon/evening delays should be very minimal.

Saturday:  Last year, there was a peak 10 min. delay right around 8:00 a.m.

Sunday:  There were very minimal delays on past Sundays.

Eastbound to Front Range

Saturday:  Delays were minimal (only 12 minutes) on this Saturday the previous two years. 

Sunday:  Last year on this Sunday, traffic started at 11:00, peaked with a 25 minute delay at 3:00, and was flowing free by 6:00.  Your best bet is to stay in the high country for dinner, shopping or night skiing.  Check out the Deals offered by corridor businesses!

REMEMBER, CDOT has frequently metered traffic eastbound on Sunday evenings which means delays at the tunnel.   Metering is done entirely for safety reasons and is not a congestion management tool.  Metering avoids a situation where traffic would be at a standstill in the tunnel, making emergency services access virtually impossible.

To receive timely info on the traffic delays and road closures,

Several corridor resorts support efforts to reduce I70 traffic by offering carpool incentives.  Check out how you can get a reduced lift ticket, close-in parking, or a parking discount here!

Weekend Travel Forecast:

Snow is forecasted for this weekend with the best chance for accumulation happening Saturday night into Sunday.  Weather can easily throw a monkey wrench into I-70 travel, so keep an eye on Check GoI70.com/mobile before you jump on the highway.

Here is the traffic you might expect this weekend, based on historical data:

Westbound to the Mountains

Only very minor delays are expected Friday evening.  Saturday traffic the past two years built up quickly at 6:00 a.m., peaked at 8:00 a.m. with delays ranging from 30-65 minutes.  Traffic tends to drop off dramatically around 10:00 a.m.  There were no westbound morning delays on this Sunday in February the last two years.

Eastbound to Front Range

Past Saturdays, eastbound congestion started at 2:00 p.m., peaked at 4:00 and dropped to almost no delays just after 6:00 p.m. 

Last year on this Sunday folks headed for home earlier resulting in traffic building closer to 10:00 a.m.  Traffic peaked with a 50 minute delay between 2:00-4:00, and was non-existent by 6:00 p.m.*

*REMEMBER, CDOT might meter traffic EB on weekend evenings for safety reason, which can sometimes cause additional delays.  Check GoI70.com/mobile before you jump on the road to see if CDOT is metering, and what the traffic is like at that moment.

To receive timely info on the traffic delays and road closures, 

Your at-a-glance weekend travel forecast….

This is good news/bad news, but weather could be a factor on the highway this weekend.  There is a chance of snow now through Tuesday, with the bulk of it forecasted to fall late Saturday.  Keep your fingers crossed for lots of the white stuff!

Saturday and Sunday morning WB:  traffic should start to build by 7:00 a.m., peak at 8:00 a.m. and drop off soon after 9:30 a.m.  

Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening EB:  traffic should start to build around 2:00 p.m., peak around 4:00 p.m. and clear out soon after 6:00 p.m.  

To avoid the jam heading down the hill this weekend, remember, “Leave after 6:00, home by 8:00!”

Metering, Take Two!

(Source: CDOT)
CDOT is looking at ways to improve the efficiency of metering at the EJMT. CDOT holds or “meters” traffic at the tunnel when vehicle volumes exceed the capacity of the Interstate 70 corridor, primarily on busy Sunday afternoons in the winter and summer when traffic is at its peak. With only two lanes inside the tunnel and no shoulders, CDOT cannot allow traffic to backup into the tunnel to the point where crews would not be able to respond in a timely manner to a medical emergency, accident, fire, or other problem.

Starting in December, CDOT will begin testing Continuous Flow Metering (CFM) as an alternative to standard metering, minimizing the need to completely stop traffic at the EJMT and make metering flow more efficiently. Much like ramp metering—the traffic signals located at highway on-ramps—the new system will regulate the flow of traffic into the tunnel by alternating lanes of traffic. Flaggers will direct traffic into four lanes at the eastbound approach to the tunnel only by utilizing the paved shoulders. Recently installed traffic signals above the lanes will allow two lanes of traffic at a time to enter the tunnel every 4-8 seconds.   

We would like to thank CDOT for thinking outside the box and for continuing to search for the right tools that can balance both mobility and safety on the I-70 Mountain Corridor.

Weekend Travel Forecast:
The weather forecast calls for sunny skies for the coming days, so if you like bluebird ski days, this is your weekend!

The winner of the most recent Treats for Tweets drawing is Stephanie Lee.  She received a Copper Mountain Lift ticket in return for contributing her I70 traffic observations to @goi70.    Tweet @goi70 and you too could be a winner!

Westbound to the Mountains
Friday:  Evening delays were approximately 5-14 minutes between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m.

Saturday:  In previous years, there was a peak 10-20 min delay between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m.

Sunday:  There were very minimal delays on past Sundays, but travelers are most likely to hit westbound traffic around 8:00 a.m.

Eastbound to Front Range
Saturday:  Delays were very minimal (only 5 minutes) on this Saturday the previous two years. 

Sunday:  Your best bet is to stay in the high country for dinner, shopping or night skiing!  Otherwise, plan to be well on the road by 11:00 a.m.  Delays were significant on this same Sunday in previous years, and included Metering at the tunnel.   

REMEMBER, CDOT has frequently metered traffic eastbound on weekend evenings which means up to 20 minute traffic stops at the tunnel. This can sometimes cause the delays to continue past the usual 6:00 p.m. timeframe.  Check GoI70.com/mobile before you jump on the road to see if CDOT is metering, and what the traffic is like at that moment.

To receive timely info on the traffic delays and road closures, 

Several corridor resorts support efforts to reduce I70 traffic by offering carpool incentives.  Check out how you can get a reduced lift ticket, close-in parking, or a parking discount here!

Weekend Travel Forecast:

Light snow is forecasted for Saturday night, but weather shouldn’t be much of a factor this weekend. 

 Here is the traffic you might expect this weekend:

 Westbound to the Mountains
Only very minor delays are expected Friday evening.  Saturday traffic the past two years built up quickly at 6:00 a.m., peaked at 8:00 a.m. with an approximate 45-60 minute delay, and traffic dropped off dramatically after 10:00 a.m.  There were no westbound morning delays on the last Sunday in February in the last two years.

Eastbound to Front Range
Past Saturdays, eastbound congestion started at 2:00 p.m., peaked at 4:00 and dropped to almost no delays just after 6:00 p.m.  On Sunday, folks headed for home earlier resulting in traffic building closer to Noon.  The peak hit between 4:00-4:30, and the road cleared by about 6:30*. 

*REMEMBER, CDOT has frequently metered traffic EB on weekend evenings which means up to 20 minute traffic stops at the tunnel. This can sometimes cause the delays to continue past the usual 6:00-6:30 p.m. timeframe.  Check GoI70.com/mobile before you jump on the road to see if CDOT is metering, and what the traffic is like at that moment.

To receive timely info on the traffic delays and road closures via text,

When making your travel plans for this holiday weekend be prepared for delays, or better yet, plan to avoid the peak travel times!  According to OpenSnow.com, (THE place to get your powder forecast) light snow is expected Friday night, Sunday night, and Monday into Monday night.  Keep this in mind when making your travel plans.

Westbound Forecast
Friday – No delays last year, but in 2010 the delays were significant from 3:30-9:30 p.m. 

Saturday – Last year delays ran from 6:30 to 9:00 a.m. and peaked at 27 minute delays.  In 2010, the delays started earlier, ran later and had peak delays at an ugly 72 minutes.

Sunday -The last two years’ delays began very soon after 6:00 a.m. and ended around 9:30 a.m.  Congestion reached a peak delay of 35 minutes right around 8:00 a.m.

Monday-Minimal delays of 10 minutes around 8:30 a.m.

Eastbound Forecast
Saturday-Last year, delays on Saturday afternoon were minimal.

Sunday-Delays the previous two years were not severe, but peaked with a 26 minute delay at 2:00 p.m.

Monday- Expect lots of congestion from 1:30-6:00 p.m.  Metering is possible-see immediately below.

REMEMBER, CDOT occasionally meters traffic EB on weekend evenings which means up to 20 minute traffic stops at the Eisenhower/Johnson Tunnel. This can cause delays later into the evening than forecasted.  Check GoI70.com/mobile before you jump on the road to see if CDOT is metering, and what the traffic is like at that moment. 

Take your time, stay alert and keep up to date with the GoI70 mobile app at http://goI70.com/mobile

 The Colorado Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Colorado State Patrol, and Silverthorne Police Department, is testing a new method aimed at reducing congestion and accidents on eastbound Interstate 70 from Silverthorne to the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnel.

Beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 13, a single CSP or 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 lane to pace eastbound vehicles, at speeds between 45 and 55 mph, to the entrance of the EJMT.  Pacing operations will repeat about every 10 minutes, until around 4 p.m.

Saturday’s test will help determine the feasibility of pacing vehicles during heavier traffic periods in July and August and winter weekends during the ski season.  Information, including traffic counts, speeds and flows, will be collected and analyzed to determine if the initial test enhanced safety and traffic flow.  If the data is favorable, another test will be put into operation on the segment from Silverthorne to Empire in late September.

“The primary purpose of testing Rolling Speed Harmonization is to improve traffic flow and see if it’s possible to eliminate metering at the tunnel,” says CDOT Regional Transportation Director Tony DeVito.  “If we can keep traffic flowing evenly at a safe speed through the corridor during our heavier traffic periods, we can keep I-70 from the gridlock that creates to need to meter.”

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.

“It’s not just about eliminating the need to meter, it’s also about the safety of the traveling public,” adds DeVito.  “As traffic volumes increase, the differentials in speed among vehicles increase the possibility of traffic accidents and accidents contribute to the congestion problem.  It’s a vicious circle.”

Similar speed control operations, often known as “Rolling Road Blocks,” have been effectively utilized in other states, such as Florida, Nebraska and Virginia, to safely move vehicles through heavy traffic areas or construction zones.

After Rolling Speed Harmonization is tested for its effectiveness in dry conditions, CDOT, CSP and SPD will test its use again at the end of the year, during winter driving conditions.

Weekend Travel Forecast
Friday Westbound:  Previous years on this weekend have not shown significant delays heading up to the mountains on Friday evenings.

Saturday Eastbound:  Traffic is fairly spread out on Saturdays and heavy traffic has not been an issue.  It will be interesting to see how the speed harmonization test this Saturday (see above) will impact travel!

Sunday Eastbound:  Expect the typical Sunday summer pattern.  Traffic builds around 11:00 a.m., peaks around 3:00 or 4:00, and the highway congestion clears around 8:00 p.m.  Expect 60-70 minute delays for a trip from Vail to Golden during that peak congestion time.

As usual, we will bring you another travel forecast next weekend!

The public can now look at the proposed vision for the Interstate 70 Mountain Corridor.  For the next 30 days, a copy of the Final I-70 Mountain Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) is available for review at most public libraries along the corridor. It also can be viewed on the project Web site: www.i70mtncorridor.com.  The review period continues through April 11, 2011. 

The Final PEIS looks at a variety of potential transit and highway improvements between C-470 and Glenwood Springs.  It also assesses the environmental impacts from those improvements. 

After the Record of Decision (ROD) is released in spring 2011, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will initiate smaller, project-specific studies and projects within the corridor, consistent with the ROD.  These subsequent studies (referred to as Tier 2 processes) will develop and evaluate specific construction projects within the corridor, if and when funding is available. 

In addition to CDOT and the FHWA, the document includes recommendations from the general public and the Collaborative Effort.  The CE, a 27-member group representing various corridor interests, was charged with reaching consensus on a recommended transportation solution and both agencies adopted the CE’s recommendation in the PEIS.   Several members of the I70 Coalition participated on this Collaborative Effort.

Weekend Travel Forecast:
The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a slight chance for snow on Saturday and Sunday.

Westbound to the Mountains
Saturday:  In previous years, there was a peak 10-20 min delay between 7:30 and 8:00.

Sunday:  There were very minimal delays on past Sundays, but travelers are most likely to hit peak westbound traffic around 8:00 a.m.

Eastbound to Front Range
Saturday:  Delays weren’t significant on this Saturday in previous years with a peak delay of only 18 minutes.  The traffic built by 3:00 p.m., peaked at 5:00 and was almost non-existent by 6:00 p.. 

Sunday:  Traffic is likely to start building at Noon, peak at 4:00 and improve after 6:00.  As we have suggested many times in the past, “Leave after 6:00, Home by 8:00!”

REMEMBER, CDOT has frequently metered traffic eastbound on weekend evenings which means up to 20 minute traffic stops at the tunnel. This can sometimes cause the delays to continue past the usual 6:00 p.m. timeframe.  Check GoI70.com/mobile before you jump on the road to see if CDOT is metering, and what the traffic is like at that moment.

To receive timely info on the traffic delays and road closures,