Safety Project to impact I-70 near Vail this week

July 8, 2019 - Northwestern Colorado

EAGLE COUNTY – Beginning tomorrow, one lane will be closed on westbound Interstate 70 for ditch cleaning operations, about one mile west of Vail (mile 173–171).    

On Tuesday, July 9, and continuing through Thursday, July 11, the right lane of westbound    I-70 will be closed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.  On Friday, July 12, the lane closure will be in place from 6 a.m. to noon.  Delays should be anticipated throughout the day.  Due to safety and visibility requirements, rock work must be performed during daylight hours. 

As part of its Whole System – Whole Safety campaign, the Colorado Department of Transportation needs to remove loose rocks from the ditch that parallels westbound I-70, in advance of potential rock mitigation operations next week.  However, CDOT will implement additional closures this week, if necessary, to maintain safe travel conditions through Dowd Canyon.  

Remember to Slow for the Cone Zone

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones; obey the posted speed limits.
  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.
  • Watch for workers; drive with caution.
  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.
  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.
  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.
  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.
  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.
  • Anticipate lane shifts, and merge when directed to do so.
  • Be Patient!

 

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System - Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address human factors, physical assets and organizational culture to better support real time operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving safety conditions for those traveling by all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission - to get everyone home safely.