CDOT Provides Tips for Labor Day Weekend Travelers
In general, traffic volumes increase about 10% during the summer months including over the Labor Day weekend. Typically, Friday tends to be the busiest travel day of the holiday weekend with steady traffic volumes the remainder of the weekend.
The heaviest traffic volumes during the weekend are expected on I-70 from Summit County to Denver as motorists head to the high country for the weekend. Last year, 164,535 vehicles traveled through the Eisenhower Tunnel during the holiday weekend. The peak travel time for westbound I-70 will be on Friday, September 2nd from approximately 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The heaviest travel time for eastbound I-70 will be on Monday, September 5th from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“The traffic volumes at the Eisenhower Tunnel give us a good perspective on travel patterns for the entire state during the holiday weekend” said Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Don Hunt. “To minimize delays during the holiday weekend, CDOT will suspend all construction projects, but motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and avoid the peak travel times.”
You can plan your trip or check current traveler information by visiting www.cotrip.org or calling 511. You can also sign up for e-mail and text message alerts by visiting www.coloradodot.info and clicking on the cell phone icon in the upper right corner under the search function. Once on the sign-up page, you can select the lists that pertain to your travels and interests.
In addition to planning ahead and avoiding peak travel times, CDOT encourages motorists to take advantage of the various amenities available at 31 rest areas throughout Colorado.
“During a long day of travel, the rest areas can serve as a great location to relax and take a break from driving,” added Hunt. “A short break can help refresh motorists, making them more alert and our highways safer.”
Rest areas are located along nine of Colorado’s highways including I-70 and I-25, two of the most highly traveled in the state. All of the rest areas are handicap accessible, except the rest area on US 34, and all have different amenities ranging from restrooms to picnic areas to hiking trails. A complete list of rest areas can be found on CDOT’s website http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/state-highway-rest-areas.
To help keep our highways safe, please drive responsibly, do not drink and drive and buckle up!
