I-70 Construction Schedule Adjusted for Christmas, New Year’s Travel Weekends

Clear Creek County – In order to accommodate the heavy travel anticipated for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the Eastbound I-70 Peak Period Shoulder Lane (PPSL) project team has announced that there will be no project-related daytime closures of I-70 from December 24-27, with similar considerations being made for the New Year’s holiday weekend.  Nighttime lane closures, when necessary, will begin at 8 p.m. and reopen to normal traffic patterns at 7 a.m.

“We saw positive impacts of pausing daytime lane closures during the Thanksgiving holiday to allow for travel,” said Region 1 Transportation Director Tony DeVito. “We want to provide a similar experience for the upcoming holidays while still keeping our momentum on the important work we are doing along the corridor.”

A critical piece of this work is the SH 103 Bridge replacement (Exit 240), which provides direct access to historic downtown Idaho Springs. Bridge construction was delayed to remove and treat groundwater found to contain heightened levels of naturally occurring metals. The bridge is slated to reopen on January 15.

In response to the bridge delays, CDOT and its contractor Mountain Corridor Constructors, are currently implementing an outreach plan focused on elevating awareness about the ease of accessing Idaho Springs’ historic from Exit 240 on your way to the mountains and Exit 239 on your way back from the mountains.

When completed in the fall of 2015, the PPSL will provide increased mobility byimplementing eastbound operational improvements between Empire Junction and Idaho Springs to relieve traffic congestion during periods when traffic volumes are highest. This $72 million dollar investment is expected to save motorists an average of 30 minutes in travel time. The project is part of CDOT’s comprehensive plan to improve travel in the I-70 Mountain Corridor.

To learn about some of the events planned for the holiday weekends, visit http://clearcreekcounty.org/event-calendar-clear-creek-county/ and visit cotrip.orgto help plan your trip.

PROJECT INFORMATION LINE:  For additional information about this project or to leave a message, call the project information line at 303-223-6581 or visit www.i70ppsl.com.  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.

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.