Nightly I-70 Closures at Exit 240/SH 103 Bridge Postponed Due to Weather

January 2, 2014 - Central/Eastern Colorado/CDOT Region 1 - Clear Creek County – After delaying overnight work last night due to weather, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Mountain Corridor Constructors (MCC) have postponed this weekend's nightly full closures of I-70 at Exit 240 in Idaho Springs for construction on the SH 103 bridge.

This cancellation occurs as forecasts show additional winter weather moving into the mountains, making it critical to postpone work to ensure the safety of the traveling public and construction crews.

"Construction schedules in the mountains are never a given, especially during the winter season," said CDOT Region Transportation Director, Tony DeVito. "We make educated decisions as to when we schedule work--or postpone it--according to so many variables including weather and traffic volumes. We focus on efficiency and safety, with our goal being to have as little impact as possible on motorists, ensuring that they get to their destinations safely. When questions about efficiency or safety arise, we must act and make decisions in the best interest of the traveling public."

More details will follow on a new schedule to complete abutment work and girder setting at the SH 103 bridge. As always, all construction schedules are tentative and subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

The SH 103 Bridge is part of the larger Peak Period Shoulder Lane project and once completed in the fall of 2015, the PPSL will provide increased mobility by implementing 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.

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.codot.gov 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 atwww.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html.