GEORGETOWN, Colo. — The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near Silverthorne, just before the Eisenhower Tunnel, were closed to traffic around 4:30 p.m. Monday, leaving countless drivers at a standstill on the last day of the Presidents Day weekend.
I-70 was closed due to safety concerns after a number of vehicles spun out as they approached the Eisenhower Tunnel. A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) told Denver7 at 10 p.m. that the department is working with its partners to reopen the highway.
Branden Nardulli was one of the drivers stuck for hours on I-70 after skiing at Keystone. He said he had never seen the highway like it was on Monday.
"Probably not worth it," Nardulli said about coming up to the mountains on Monday. "If I would have known I would have been in this, I would have much rather just saved it for a different weekend."
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Another driver caught up in the closure was Luke Dennahy, who was heading to Denver International Airport to catch a flight after spending some time in Steamboat Springs.
"We're in the lucky position where hopefully, you know, we're not going to miss our flights, and we had a longer weekend. So, I would maybe say it's still worth it, assuming that we can still make it down and make our flight," Dennahy said.
Ultimately, Dennahy made his midnight flight, and Nardulli arrived back at his Arvada home on Monday evening. In total, it took Dennahy over nine hours to drive from Steamboat Springs to the airport. Nardulli spent over six hours in the car on his trek from Keystone to Arvada.
Dennahy and Nardulli were a lucky group that was within a portion of the closure referred to by CDOT as the "queue" — an area between the Eisenhower Tunnel and the start of the closure near Silverthorne. Drivers in the queue were funneled out before many other vehicles that were left stuck.
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An added dilemma for drivers on Monday was the closure of Loveland Pass for safety concerns.
"We were in Keystone, so we tried to take Loveland Pass, and we got right there, and there was a police officer blocking it. So we had to turn around, and we had no choice," said Theresa Sauer, who was fortunate to make it down I-70 before the closure of the eastbound lanes. "It took us almost three hours just from Silverthorne to the tunnel."
Margaret Bowes is the executive director of the I-70 Coalition, a nonprofit organization working to improve the highway. She said it's an understatement to call I-70 critically important to Colorado.
"We're so dependent on it, and it's just really taxed, and it doesn't take much to send it into a tailspin," Bowes said. "Those of us that live in the mountains recognize that I-70 is one of the biggest challenges we have in living here."
Bowes has lived in Dillon for over 30 years and was not surprised by the terrible traffic throughout the weekend.
"If just a single lane closes for even 30 minutes, the backups it causes, it really can result in some really big impacts," said Bowes. "When I-70 closes, it really strands people on either end of the mountain corridor."
CDOT has determined that for every hour the I-70 corridor is closed, it can have an economic impact of $2 million.
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Colorado's Traction Law is in effect at all times on the I-70 mountain corridor from September through May between Dotsero and Morrison. It requires all vehicles to have 3/16ths of an inch tread depth on their tires and at least one of the following:
- 4WD or AWD vehicle
- Tires with mud and snow designation (M+S icon)
- Winter tires (mountain snowflake icon)
- Tires with an all-weather rating by the manufacturer
- Chains or approved traction device
As of 11 p.m. on Monday evening, the eastbound lanes of I-70 near Silverthorne had not reopened to traffic. Road closures and updates can be seen in real-time on COtrip.org.
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