Watch for More Cyclists in Loveland Pass Area This Weekend

CLEAR CREEK/SUMMIT COUNTIES – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is advising drivers to be prepared for a large number of bicyclists traveling U.S. 6 over Loveland Pass on Saturday, July 9, and Sunday, July 10.

On Saturday, about 3,500 bicyclists are participating in the Triple Bypass Bicycle Tour and will be using Loveland Pass from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., to travel west from Clear Creek County to Summit County.  Then, on Sunday, approximately 1,900 cyclists are expected to travel eastbound over Loveland Pass, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as part of the return trip of the Triple Bypass.

Since bicyclists will be traveling over Loveland Pass, U.S. 6 will be closed to all hazardous materials truck traffic both days, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., requiring travel through the Eisenhower Tunnel during that time period.  The closure is being implemented as an added safety precaution, eliminating the road sharing problem between bicyclists and large trucks on the two-lane highway.  Since CDOT does not allow such loads to travel through the tunnel with other vehicles, at the top of each hour, all eastbound and westbound traffic will be stopped for about 15 minutes, allowing waiting hazmat vehicles to be escorted through the tunnel.

In addition to U.S. 6 over Loveland Pass, CDOT is advising all drivers and bicyclists to “Share the Road” and use extra caution along other state highway segments on the tour route, including State Highway 103 between Bergen Park and Idaho Springs and U.S. 6 between Dowd Junction (U.S. 6/U.S. 24 junction) and Avon.