Daytime lane closures extended on the I-70 mountain corridor to complete Express Lane construction

Travel Advisory

December 4, 2020 - Central/Eastern Colorado - Motorists should expect delays during the day on westbound I-70 near Idaho Springs

Clear Creek County — The Colorado Department of Transportation and contract crews are in the final push to complete paving on the new Westbound I-70 Mountain Express Lane project.  This work will require extended daytime lane closures Sunday through Thursday, December 6 to 10, in addition to the ongoing nightly closures. These extended daytime closures are necessary so crews can take advantage of the last days of warmer weather conditions to pave this section. If alternate days are needed due to inclement weather, CDOT will evaluate the schedule and make any adjustments into the week of December 14 to December 18.

TRAFFIC IMPACTS

  • Single lane closure on westbound I-70 in the Idaho Springs area,  between Exit 240 (CO 103/Mt. Evans) and Exit 238 (Fall River Road) from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 6 and from    8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, December 7 to Thursday, December 10.  

  • Nightly single lane closures Sunday through Thursday nights through December.

  • While CDOT will make every effort to have two travel lanes open during the day Fridays and Saturdays, there could be some construction related impacts.

  • There will be no planned closures during the Christmas holiday season, December 24 through 27.  

MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT DELAYS 

Motorists heading westbound on I-70 should expect delays and give themselves extra time to reach their destination. The biggest impact will be the single-lane closure during the daytime on Sunday, with delays likely from 45 minutes to an hour. The heaviest delays will be later in the afternoon.  Motorists should expect minor delays of about ten minutes to occur during the daytime  Monday through Thursday.

Normally, lane closures are limited to the nights on heavily traveled roads, but paving requires warmer temperatures and daytime closures. Crews will continue to work overnight on other construction tasks that are not dependent on warmer weather. 

ABOUT THE PROJECT 

Crews are working diligently to complete road construction so the new Express Lane can open as soon as possible, which is estimated for early 2021 depending on the weather and other factors. Once the new Express Lane opens, tolls will be waived until summer or fall of 2021 when the tolling infrastructure is in place and has been tested. 

When completed, there will be an Express Lane on westbound I-70 from the Veterans Memorial Tunnels to the Empire Interchange. Similar to the eastbound lane already in use, this 12-mile long managed lane will feature traffic management systems to reduce congestion and provide westbound drivers with a reliable, time-saving option during peak travel periods.  The project is also improving the alignment of the road and repaving the surface to improve safety and make for a smoother drive.  

For the latest information on lane closures and traffic impacts, go to COtrip.org.  

STAY INFORMED: 

More information is available at: 


REMEMBER: 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.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • 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.

  • Be patient!