Summer traffic season begins

Denver – The Colorado Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to expect additional traffic in many areas of the state for the Memorial Day weekend as the summer travel season gets underway.

Heavy traffic is anticipated along the Front Range and mountain highways, especially on westbound I-70 on Friday, May 26, and Saturday, May 27, and eastbound I-70 from Eagle County to the Denver area on Memorial Day.

To help improve traffic flow, CDOT is suspending all construction and maintenance projects from noon Friday, May 26, until Tuesday, May 30. The only exception is for emergency operations.

The 2022 traffic numbers at the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnels:

Seasonal Roads - Scheduled Openings

• Colorado 5 – the Mount Evans Highway: Friday, May 26.
• Colorado 82 – Independence Pass between Twin Lakes and Aspen: Thursday, May 25
• Trail Ridge Road (US 34) between Estes Park and Grand Lake (Rocky Mountain National Park). For current road status, call: 970-586-1222.
• Guanella Pass between Georgetown and Grand: Friday, May 26
• Kebler & Cottonwood passes – check https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/158/Roads-Bridges

Please visit www.cotrip.org, the mobile-friendly go-to resource for information about traffic, highway conditions, construction and Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways. For specific information about the I-70 Corridor west of Denver, please check www.GoI70.com.

Be safe – Be Prepared - For Late Spring Driving Conditions

• Watch for potholes. Winter’s freeze/thaw cycle weather can damage roadways, including the creation of potholes. Spring rain also can make them difficult to see. And they can damage your vehicle, requiring expensive repairs. Keep a safe following distance in case the driver in front of you reacts unpredictably. Avoid swerving if you can to avoid a pothole.
• Slow down for spring showers. Roads become slick when it first begins to rain because rainwater mixes with road contaminants, like as oil and grease. Increase your following distance to allow for proper braking.
  Watch for pedestrians and bikes. Warmer temperatures mean more people are outside walking or bicycling. Slow down and pay extra attention at crosswalks and along roadways.
• Share the road with motorcycles. Motorcycles may quickly come in and out of your blind spots due to their speed and size. Always take a second look with more motorcycles out on the road.
• Animals are on the move. Animal activity increases during the spring, either due to mating season or because they are waking up from winter hibernation. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk.
• Maintain proper tire air pressure. Tires lose air due to the cold winter temperatures and now can be underinflated. Warmer temperatures can cause tires to be overinflated.
• Inspect your tires. Adequate tire tread is important for safe driving in wet weather because the tread moves water away from the tire. Less tread means reduced traction.

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:

• Road conditions and travel information: COtrip.org
• Download the COtrip Planner app: bit.ly/COtripapp
• Sign up for project or travel alerts: bit.ly/COnewsalerts
• See scheduled construction lane closures: bit.ly/laneclosures
• Connect with @ColoradoDOT on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!