CO 14 Open from Fort Collins to Walden
Travel Advisory
LARIMER COUNTY— After a two-month closure due to the Cameron Peak fire, Colorado Highway 14 has reopened between north of Fort Collins and Walden.
While fire activity in the immediate area has diminished, which allowed for the opening, CDOT crews will still need to clear some debris from the shoulders and do other road work to get the road ready for the winter snow season. The road may be reduced to one lane at times to complete this work, which will cause some delays.
CDOT is strongly encouraging people NOT to be on the road unless necessary. All forest areas accessible from CO 14 are closed now due to the fire danger.
“This is not a good time to be on CO 14,” CDOT Region Transportation Director Heather Paddock said. “I know people are curious about the area and the fire, but there will be plenty of time to return to the area when conditions are better. We wanted to open this road to allow access for people who need this travel option right now as other routes have closed. There is still a lot of work to be done here, and the fewer people up there right now, the better it will be for everyone.”
CO 14 was closed on August 13 due to the Cameron Peak Fire. At that point, the fire was about 1,500 acres. It has now grown to more than 206,000 acres and is the largest wildfire in Colorado history. The fire continues to burn to the south. Cooler temperatures and wet weather this weekend are expected to slow down the blaze, but crews will be working on this fire until it is completely out.
The closure of CO 7 from Lyons to CO 72 is still in place due to the Calwood Fire in Boulder County. Roads in to Estes Park (US 34 and US 36) are all closed due to the East Troublesome fire crossing the Continental Divide and evacuations of Estes.
To date, CDOT maintenance crews have clocked more than 6,000 man hours working the closures to support these firefighting efforts and to keep the public safe.
Conditions in Colorado can change quickly. Other closures are possible through these events. All closures and lane reductions can be found at www.cotrip.org.
For updates in Larimer County, text the word LCEVAC to 888777 from your cell phone. To view maps of the evacuations, please visit nocoalert.org. For fire information, go to: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.
Calwood Fire information can be found at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
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.
● Don't change lanes unnecessarily.
● Don’t drive distracted. Don’t use mobile devices such as phones while driving.
● 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!
COVID-19
Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, construction continues on CDOT projects with social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO and practice social distancing, wear face masks, stay at home when possible, and avoid nonessential travel. With fewer vehicles on the roads, CDOT crews will be able to work more efficiently and safely.
WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.
In early 2019, 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 multimodal mobility options.
