CDOT will conduct rock scaling along westbound I-70 on June 16

JEFFERSON COUNTY – Motorists can expect impacts to westbound Interstate 70 travel on June 16 beginning at 10 a.m as the Colorado Department of Transportation's Geohazards Team will complete rock scaling in Mount Vernon Canyon, just west of C-470.

Motorists planning to travel on westbound I-70 on June 16 should be aware that intermittent full closures will occur starting at 10 a.m. These closures will happen in 10 minute intervals. CDOT maintenance crews will stop westbound I-70 traffic at the exit for Morrison (Exit 259). After about 10 minutes of rock scaling and once the highway is cleared of any rocks or debris that may fall, traffic will be released for a short period of time to clear the traffic queue. CDOT maintenance crews will then stop traffic again at Exit 259 for another round of rock scaling. This cycle will continue until CDOT’s Geohazards Team has completed scaling operations, which is estimated to last into the afternoon.

Other traffic impacts include:

• The on-ramp from Morrison Road (CR 93) onto westbound I-70 (Exit 259) will be closed throughout rock scaling.

• Eastbound and westbound US 40 will also be closed between the Wooly Mammoth Park-N-Ride lot and Cabrini Boulevard (MP 283.5 to MP 284.4), so traffic cannot detour onto US 40.

Motorists coming from the Foothills and Denver Metro area are advised to adjust travel plans along westbound I-70 to either before 10 a.m. or after the rock scaling is completed later in the afternoon. Drivers needing to get to areas west of Floyd Hill can use US 6 through Clear Creek Canyon as an alternate route. This rock scaling work is necessary ahead of a future project to repave and replace guardrail along US 40 in this area. That project will take place in 2021.