The communities along I-70 have many summer events planned from beer and wine festivals to concerts and sporting events, there’s a little bit of everything this summer! It’s a common misconception that winter is the busiest time for I-70, but most traffic records are actually set in the summer months as people hit the mountains for hiking, biking and adventuring, in addition to the fantastic variety of events. There are many ways to avoid the long drive through planning and choosing alternate modes of transportation. Here’s some ways to enjoy the mountains without the stress of traffic:
Change when you travel
Who doesn’t want an extra night away? Extend your stay or go mid-week to avoid the peak travel time that occurs Friday through Sunday. Traveling Monday through Thursday can considerably reduce your travel time. If you can’t extend your stay, change it by a couple hours. Our weekend travel forecast is updated every Thursday afternoon online at www.GoI70.com/travel and provides a historical snapshot of what you can expect. Visit www.cotrip.org to get real-time traffic updates to help you avoid travel delays.
Use the Express Lane
If you are traveling on the weekends, use the I-70 Mountain Express Lanes that run on eastbound, and now westbound, I-70 between Empire and the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. Generally, weather and staff permitting, the I-70 Mountain Express Lanes are open on weekends and holidays. At all other times, the lane returns to being an interstate shoulder and is only to be used in an emergency. These Express Lanes improve mobility and provide drivers with a reliable, time-saving option during peak travel periods. The Express Lanes are best used if you are traveling straight through.
Use Transit
You can enjoy your trip to the mountains completely car-free by using transit such as Bustang, Outrider or Pegasus to get to your destination and then local transit options to get around town, many of which are free! Learn more about the many options available to get from Denver to the mountains at www.GoI70.com/transit.
Find a Carpool
Doing your part to reduce single-occupancy vehicles on the road pays off! It decreases congestion (getting you to your destination faster!) and reduces emissions. TreadShare is a carpool app that connects drivers and passengers heading in the same direction in Colorado so they can share a route and split the associated costs.
However you get to the I-70 Mountain corridor, make sure you check out the variety of events that are planned this summer. There is something for everyone!