Winter storm to cause difficult travel conditions along the Front Range and statewide this week

Travel Advisory

February 1, 2022 - Statewide News - Good time to telework! Drivers urged to limit traveling during the storm and plan ahead

CDOT crews are ready and prepared for the latest round of winter weather to hit Colorado late Tuesday through Wednesday evening. While CDOT will be out in force removing snow, motorists should expect slick travel conditions. If possible, limiting travel during the brunt of the storm overnight Tuesday through most of Wednesday is highly advised.

Snow is expected to develop over the mountains late Tuesday afternoon and early evening then spread along the Front Range. Snow will continue overnight into Wednesday and then decrease Wednesday night.

Motorists along the Front Range, particularly the I-25 corridor, should be prepared for adverse conditions with the brunt of the impacts hitting overnight Tuesday and Wednesday morning with six inches to a foot of snow along and west of I-25 with higher amounts possible in the foothills. Eight to eighteen inches are expected in the southern mountains and foothills. Especially cold temperatures will create unsafe situations should a traveler encounter a hazardous situation or be forced to remain in an unmoving vehicle for periods of time.

Crews will focus first on the interstates and other major state-maintained roadways with the highest traffic volumes. Once the storm subsides, crews will plow other state routes.

Motorists often believe that CDOT maintains local and residential roads, including neighborhood streets. However, cities and counties are responsible for local and residential roads—not CDOT.

Winter Storm Map

CDOT crews are prepared statewide

Denver Region

CDOT crews will be in full snow shift Tuesday afternoon and will work around the clock to clear snow. In the Denver metro region, including the I-70 Mountain Corridor to the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnel, CDOT will have about 105 plows out 24/7 over the course of the storm. Prior to the storm, crews in the metro area are pretreating bridges, overpasses and other areas that are prone to freeze.

Southeastern Colorado

Southeast Colorado will be on snow shift beginning Tuesday afternoon. There will be between 80 and 100 plows dedicated to the 14 southeastern counties during each shift. Crews will prioritize roadways with the highest traffic volumes and mobilize resources as needed. The western and southern mountains of the region will see the highest accumulation of snow, but as temperatures plummet, motorists could encounter slick areas. CDOT crews will be plowing and treating as needed.

Northeastern Colorado

Slick roads and snow accumulations are expected along the North I-25 corridor, eastern plains and especially along the foothills. Snow is expected to fall at half of an inch an hour from Tuesday evening through Thursday. Wednesday will be the trickiest day on the roads.

Southwestern Colorado

Heavy snow accumulations are expected for the mountain ranges of southwest and south-central Colorado. Travel is expected to be difficult with blowing snow and low visibility. Freezing temperatures will also create icy, slick road conditions. Once the storm has cleared, periodic road closures can be expected on mountain passes to allow for avalanche mitigation operations, possibly Thursday.

Northwestern Colorado

Motorists should anticipate blowing snow, slick roads and cold temperatures along the I-70 Mountain Corridor and throughout Northwest Colorado. Crews will shift to areas with the heaviest snow in order to safely keep roads clear. While snow totals may not be as high in NW CO as elsewhere in the state, it’s important for motorists to be prepared for winter weather conditions.

What motorists should know

  • Avoid or limit driving during the brunt of the storm, particularly on I-25 at Monument Hill south of Castle Rock. This stretch of roadway climbs to a high elevation and can make for tricky driving conditions during a snowstorm.
  • Work from home if you can.
  • If you plan to travel, know before you go by checking out the latest weather conditions and visiting COtrip.org for road conditions (see info sources below).
  • Make sure your vehicle is winter ready with the appropriate tires for the weather and have a snow emergency kit.
  • Once you are out on the road, take it slow, no sudden stops and leave plenty of following distance.
  • Give plows space! Stay back three to four car lengths from snow plows.

Chain and Traction Laws

When weather conditions warrant, CDOT will activate the Traction Law. If weather conditions deteriorate, CDOT will activate Chain Laws for passenger and commercial vehicles. Motorists will be alerted to an active Traction or Chain Law by highway signage, COtrip.org and traffic/roadway condition alerts. For more information on the Traction Law and Passenger Vehicle Chain Law requirements, visit codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/tractionlaw. For more information on the Commercial Vehicle Chain Law requirements, visit codot.gov/travel/colorado-chain-law. To learn more and view helpful tips for winter driving, visit winter.codot.gov.

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: