I-70 Glenwood Canyon Variable Speed Limit Sign Installation

Project complete

About the Project

In March 2019, following a winter shutdown, crews resumed work to install variable speed limit (VSL) signs on I-70 in the Glenwood Canyon corridor. The project—on I-70 east of Glenwood Springs, from mile points (MP) 116 to 132, will incorporate technology to monitor weather and traffic conditions, and control speed limits where needed.

Specific work includes:

  • installing three weather stations for live monitoring and reporting of weather conditions
  • installing 73 standard static signs
  • installing 17 new dual variable speed limit signs
  • replacing five single variable speed limit signs
  • removing 38 existing static signs
  • installing nine closed-circuit cameras for live monitoring and viewing of roadway conditions
  • adding other surface and subsurface conduit, and related improvements to guide the display of the variable speed limits

Project Facts

  • Cost: $5.9 million
  • Contractor: Casper Electric
  • Timeline: September 2018 to September 2019
  • Location: A span of I-70 approximately 14 miles eastbound —from mile point (MP) 116.91 to MP 130.93 — and approximately 15 miles westbound — from MP 115.88 to MP 131.08

Why this Work is Necessary:

  • This section of I-70 experiences a range of weather conditions throughout the year, causing unsafe conditions for drivers who don't take proper precautions.
  • Based on a recent safety assessment by CDOT, this area sees a high number of crashes involving fixed objects, especially during inclement weather.

Benefits

  • These improvements give drivers advance warning and generate a safer traffic flow to decrease accidents in the canyon.
  • Improvements increase the standard speed limit during good conditions to 60 mph for passenger vehicles, and 50 mph for heavy vehicles (over 26,000 gross vehicle weight) in most areas of the canyon.
  • The technology—operated by people and the technology itself—will lower the speed limit to assist with incident management, conditions created by inclement weather, and maintenance and construction.

Completed Work

In 2018, crews excavated, trenched, performed directional boring, installed barrier conduit, micro pile, micro pile foundation caps, placed sign foundations, seeded and performed erosion control. All work done was in preparation for spring 2019 VSL installation.

Schedule & Traffic Impacts

  • Normal work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays
  • Short-term shoulder and lane closures throughout the construction
  • Minor impacts to the bike path for installation of various speed limit signs along eastbound I-70; sign foundations will be installed north of the bike path

Weather Impacts

This section of I-70 experiences a range of weather conditions throughout the year, causing unsafe conditions for drivers who don't take proper precautions. The new signs will:

  • Give drivers advance warning and generate a safer traffic flow to decrease accidents in the canyon.
  • Increase the standard speed limit during good conditions to 60 mph compared to 50 mph in most areas of the canyon.
  • Lower the speed limit to assist with incident management, conditions created by inclement weather, and maintenance and construction.