Holiday Travel Expected to Bring Heavy Traffic to I-70 Mountain Corridor
In 2013, westbound travel times on July 3 peaked at 97 minutes in the late afternoon. Travel times for westbound traffic surpassed 100 minutes on July 4 for the noon hour. Motorists heading up the mountain corridor should expect delays throughout the day on July 3 and July 4 when traveling westbound and should allow for extra time or plan to travel earlier in the day.
The heaviest travel day for eastbound traffic is anticipated to be Sunday, July 6. Peak travel times for Sunday are from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Increased traffic volumes are expected Saturday as well in the eastbound direction. Motorists are encouraged to avoid peak travel times Saturday and Sunday and expect delays throughout both days. Summertime is a beautiful and adventure-filled time in the mountains of Colorado. CDOT encourages motorists to spend more time relaxing and less time stuck in traffic by avoiding peak times and utilizing the CDOT mobile app and website for up to date travel times and driving conditions.
Are you wondering what to talk about this weekend when the I-70 traffic gets bad? Tell people that they have options. They can Change Their Peak Time by taking advantage of actual discounts after 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sunday. Check out the discounts that are currently available by visiting www.goI70.com/deals. Enjoy the mountains a little longer, take that last hike of the day, visit that restaurant you always wanted to go to, stay at the BBQ longer and enjoy the rays at the lake instead of sitting in traffic and staring out your car window. Summer travel times can be long and avoiding westbound travel between 11 and 5 on Sundays can save you time and a headache.
CDOT’s Change Your Peak Time campaign began this year and works to encourage motorists to skip the mountain return rush between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays, and choose instead to “Press Play, Avoid Delay” by spending extra time having fun in the mountains rather than spending that time in peak traffic. CDOT has partnered with the I-70 Coalition, a consortium representing the mountain communities and resorts, to give travel tips and travel forecasts, and to offer discounts, deals and incentives for travelers interested in avoiding traffic by staying in the mountains for an extra hour or two. Peak Time Deals at www.goi70.com are updated regularly, and list locations of restaurants, entertainment options and retailers along the I-70 corridor offering weekend discounts.
For information regarding CDOT projects statewide, log on to www.cotrip.org, download the CDOT Mobile app or call 511 from anywhere in the state. To receive real-time updates about road conditions in your area, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Information about weekly lane closures will be available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html.
