CDOT Launches “I-70 Mountain Travel Radio”
CDOT is taking new steps to help skiers navigate I-70 weekend traffic by launching an online radio broadcast this Saturday, just in time for the year’s first holiday weekend. Providing the most up-to-date and real-time road and traffic conditions on I-70 between Denver and Vail, “I-70 Mountain Travel Radio” will air every Saturday and Sunday morning and afternoon throughout ski season.
Starting Saturday, Jan. 17, the new I-70 Mountain Travel Radio will broadcast every Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the winter, coinciding with peak travel times along I-70. Listeners can tune in to the live broadcasts through either CoTrip.org or the CDOT Mobile app simply by clicking the “Listen Now” play button. CDOT believes that by providing the best and most accurate information, motorists can better prepare for mountain travel.
“We already offer several great travel resources for motorists, but nothing quite like this,” said Amy Ford, Director of Communications for CDOT. “Conditions along the I-70 Mountain Corridor change extremely quickly, and doing a live broadcast is one of the best ways to inform motorists and keep them updated with the most accurate info. If listeners respond positively to the service, we could expand the broadcast to cover other major highways across Colorado.”
Content will include live updates on the rapidly changing I-70 road, weather and traffic conditions, as well as information about winter driving, carpooling, snow plow safety, and tire safety and discounts. In addition, I-70 Mountain Travel Radio will provide information on upcoming events at ski resorts and mountain towns, along with Peak Time Deals – discounts for motorists who choose to stay out of I-70 traffic during the busiest travel times and instead enjoy deals on recreation, lodging and dining throughout the Mountain Corridor.
CDOT has hired Jim Hudson and Nia Bender to host the broadcasts, bringing with them more than 50 years of combined radio and TV experience. Hudson is a freelance voice talent and a 25 year broadcast veteran, with 15 of those years reporting traffic on TV in Denver. He will bookend the show, broadcasting Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. Bender is a news anchor at NewsRadio 850 KOA and owner of The 4th-Estate, offering media services in the radio and TV industry. Known as the “grandmother of Colorado traffic reporters,” Bender helped lead the way for females working in traffic reporting in Denver. She will host the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning broadcasts.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who travels I-70 on the weekends,” said Hudson. “Many people often ask, ‘What’s the delay?’ I believe this service will answer that and other questions on the fly and help drivers make better travel decisions.
The I-70 Mountain Travel Radio broadcast complements CDOT’s existing resources for traffic and road condition information throughout the state. Motorists can call 511 anywhere in Colorado for periodically updated road conditions, visit CoTrip.org and CDOT Mobile for the best and most accurate road and travel information, or sign up for GovDelivery alerts that offer important travel information. Also, GoI70.com – hosted by the I-70 Coalition – provides weekly I-70 travel forecasts based on historical data and how weather, construction or events may impact the mountain commute. Finally, CDOT provides travel information and frequent updates through their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
CDOT’s I-70 Mountain Travel Radio is part of the Change Your Peak Drive campaign, which works to improve the I-70 Mountain Corridor by encouraging mountain travelers to change not only the time they drive, but also how they drive. Through public education and strategic partnerships, CDOT works to give motorists the tools they need to be winter ready and know the resources they have for I-70 information. To learn more about the campaign and winter driving tips, visit winter.codot.gov.
