Full daytime closures of I-70 at Twin Tunnels next week

All closures are scheduled for 20 minutes.  The closures on Tuesday, July 24, and Wednesday, July 25, take place at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.  Thursday’s and Friday’s closures are scheduled at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.   Eastbound traffic will be stopped at West Idaho Springs – Exit 239; westbound traffic at the top of Floyd Hill – Exit 247.

If the work is not completed next week, another day of analysis will be scheduled for Monday, July 30, with stop times in next week’s traffic advisory.

The closures are necessary to maintain the safety of the traveling public since crews will be surveying numerous areas above I-70.

“Traffic can’t be allowed through the area during those times since it’s possible for rocks to be dislodged and come down onto the highway while the crews are traversing the slopes above,” says CDOT’s  I-70 Mountain Corridor Manager Jim Bemelen.  “We understand it’s an inconvenience for travelers but safety is our first priority.  The surveying needs to be completed before we can move forward and begin reconstructing the eastbound bore.”

Upon approval of the Twin Tunnels Environmental Assessment, CDOT will add one eastbound lane to I-70 from the East Idaho Springs Interchange to U.S. 6, including expanding the eastbound tunnel to accommodate three lanes.

I-70 lane closures continue for the next several weeks, not including weekends and holidays.  Weekly advisories will be distributed, detailing traffic impacts for the following week.

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