Rockfall mitigation work on I-70, including scaling and blasting scheduled for this month

December 3 2019 - Denver Metro Area -  I-70 drivers should plan for delays near Idaho Springs; daytime work to occur Mondays through Thursdays

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY ― Starting Wednesday, Dec. 4, CDOT will conduct rockfall mitigation work to prevent rockslides on westbound I-70 near Idaho Springs.  I-70 traffic will be periodically stopped in both directions between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. this Wednesday and Thursday and the following Mondays through Thursdays the weeks of Dec. 9 and Dec. 16.   

Vehicles will be stopped on both directions of I-70 near Idaho Springs for about 20 minutes while  crews remove loose rocks and clean up the highway as part of scaling operations. The queue of stopped vehicles will then be released before traffic is again stopped.

 Work will begin near Mile Point 239 on the west end of Idaho Springs this Wednesday and Thursday and continue through the next few weeks.  This section was planned for rockfall mitigation in spring of 2020. Due to the early snow storms and extra moisture this fall, the scaling work must be done as soon as possible to prevent possible rock slides.

On Monday, Dec. 9, crews will also scale and drill the rock face next to westbound I-70 near Mile Point 236, just east of Dumont.  This is the location of rockslides last week. This work will be done in preparation of blasting scheduled for Wednesday during the day time on Dec. 18.  When blasting occurs, I-70 will be closed in BOTH directions in this location for a few hours. More detailed information on this closure, including detours and local access, will be released next week. 

This work must be done as soon as possible to stabilize the rock face. The rock face is protected by a fence and barrier to help prevent loose rocks from spilling into the roadway.  

 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

Earlier this year, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to heighten safety awareness. This initiative takes a systematic, statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated inter-regional express service. Governor Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s multi-modal mobility options.