Transportation and law enforcement officials are pleading to travelers to follow the speed limit on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon and drive for the conditions, especially as winter weather continues through the coming weeks and months.

Colorado Springs weather: Presidents Day wind around the Springs, snow coming too

Following a series of crashes that have caused extended closures of the interstate, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol on Friday urged drivers to redouble efforts to follow safety practices.

“Driving too fast for conditions has contributed or caused all of the crash closures in the Canyon so far in 2023,” the agencies said. 

The agencies encouraged travelers and local communities to use common sense and be accountable for the consequences of their behavior while driving through Glenwood Canyon.

The agencies made the plea mere weeks after the state reported that traffic crashes claimed the lives of 745 people last year, the most roadway deaths in Colorado since 1981. State officials noted that fatalities caused by impaired driving also went up.

Crashes and road closures also mean foreclosed economic activity. Indeed, approximately $1 million is lost for every hour that I-70 is closed on the mountain corridor, according to state estimates. The twists and curves of I-70 along the floor of Glenwood Canyon make that road even more challenging during weather events, and the limited space along the road’s bridges and viaducts can delay crash responses and clean-ups, the agency reported.

CDOT and CSP implemented additional measures this week to reduce the number of closures caused by crashes. Those measures included:

• Lowering speed limits through the Canyon

• Metering traffic by physically slowing traffic down with snow plows

• Increasing speed enforcement

Notably, all of these measures were in place when the most recent incidents occurred – including as many as five additional law enforcement checkpoints.

On Wednesday, Feb. 15 and Thursday, Feb. 16, for example, the speed limit was reduced to 35 mph via CDOT’s variable speed limit signs. CSP placed additional enforcement points on the Canyon, and CDOT used snow plows driving in tandem to meter traffic at the posted speed limit as well.

Westbound I-70 in Glenwood Canyon reopens following crash, eastbound still closed

Agencies are evaluating a range of options for limiting truck access to the Canyon in certain weather conditions, especially when Wyoming has closed I-80. This includes determining traffic volumes and parking needs for pullovers, and the feasibility of allowing trucks to go through in storms only when escorted by a state vehicle in a convoy. The state is also exploring possible restrictions on trucks using the left lane on difficult segments of I-70, a measure that would require legislation.

CDOT is working on major improvements to secondary routes like CO 13 – the primary access to I-80 on the Western Slope – and safety improvements to US 40 and US 285 are included in the Ten Year Plan. Though these routes will require ongoing focus for multiple reasons as the population grows, CDOT has also prioritized design work for improving Cottonwood Pass, and is working closely with the counties on developing a list of near-term fixes to geometry and safety, as well as plans to pave contiguous sections over time.

Westbound I-70 reopened in Glenwood Canyon after multi-vehicle crash

“We all know that Glenwood Canyon is a fragile and complex environment prone to extreme weather and slick conditions in the winter,” CDOT Director Shoshana Lew said in a statement. “Hard-working highway maintainers, state and local law enforcement officers, and other emergency responders from across the state have dedicated countless hours in recent years managing fires, mudslides, snowstorms and other events in this area.”

Lew added: “The whole team is working creatively to employ even more strategies and resources like slower speeds, metering traffic, and added enforcement in conjunction with major long-term improvements to resiliency and accelerating alternative routes and we will continue to evaluate all options available.” 

The agencies said they are evaluating a range of options for limiting truck access to the Canyon in certain weather conditions, especially when Wyoming has closed I-80. This includes determining traffic volumes and parking needs for pullovers and the feasibility of allowing trucks to go through in storms only when escorted by a state vehicle in a convoy. The state is also exploring possible restrictions on trucks using the left lane on difficult segments of I-70, a measure that would require legislation.

CDOT plans to apply for major federal grants this year to get construction started as soon as design allows.