CDOT Announces Brief Traffic Hold on Eastbound US 6 Loveland Pass, Today and Likely Tomorrow

January 18, 2015 - Central/Eastern Colorado/CDOT Region 1 - Hold helps keep eastbound traffic flowing safely on both US 6 and I-70.

Statewide – The Colorado Department of Transportation, working with the Colorado State Patrol, will implement another traffic hold today for eastbound US 6 traffic on Loveland Pass, from 4:00 to 4:45 PM. These afternoon holds, put in place when eastbound I-70 traffic is expected, help mitigate safety concerns.

“When there is heavy eastbound I-70 traffic on weekend afternoons, eastbound traffic on US 6 can get backed up on Loveland Pass,” CDOT’s I-70 Mountain Corridor Manager Patrick Chavez said.  “We don’t want to see traffic congestion on a pass where there are avalanche slide paths. Instead, we want to take proactive safety measures to help keep traffic flowing as best we can.”  

CDOT’s Colorado Traffic Management Center (see www.cotrip.org) is reporting heavy traffic likely in and out of the mountains along the I-70 corridor this weekend. According to the site’s travel advisory, “With nice weather and no local football this weekend, it is likely to be a high-traffic volume weekend along the I-70 corridor. CDOT expects heavy traffic westbound both Sunday morning and, with the MLK holiday, it is possible on Monday as well. Peak westbound times tend to be 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.”

Heavy return traffic on I-70 is most likely to be on Sunday and Monday afternoons. Normally, traffic volume spikes between 2 p.m. and 6 or 7 p.m. Most holidays, the return starts as early as 11 a.m.

CDOT encourages motorists to "Change your Peak time" and travel outside of these congested periods. 

CDOT is reminding motorists to consult the department’s traveler information tools:  

  • Tune in to I-70 Mountain Travel Radio, broadcast every Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; and 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to hear live broadcasts through either CoTrip.org or the CDOT Mobile app

  • Call 511 anywhere in Colorado for periodically updated road conditions;

  • Visit www.cotrip.org and CDOT Mobile;

  • Sign up for GovDelivery alerts;

  • Go to GoI70.com – hosted by the I-70 Coalition – to see weekly I-70 travel forecasts based on historical data and how weather, construction or events may impact the mountain commute;

  • Follow CDOT on Twitter and Facebook (though the latter will not provide the most up-to-date news and conditions).

Driving Tips, Operation TireSafe - CDOT reminds motorists to allow for extra travel time and to always be prepared when traveling during winter weather events. Winter driving tips can be found online at http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/winter-driving. Visitors to Arapahoe Basin this weekend will also benefit from free tire checks provided by CDOT Operation TireSafe partner, ColoradoLand Tire and Service.