OFFICIAL I70 BITCH THREAD....

[doebedoe]

Exactly why they need to enforce the law, not just ticket people. Or raise the fine.

Ticketing people is enforcing the law.

If you want pro-active enforcement (i.e. tire / chain check points) you're gonna have a bigger clusterfuck than present.

[Shredhead]

Now EB closed at the tunnel, no reopen time. 3 closures in 4 hours. Are the roads up there that bad?

I just made it thru at 1pm. There was only one bad squall, just east of the tunnel. Roads were mostly clear otherwise.
The drivers are fucking clueless, I don't know how you guys deal.

[summit]

Da wife called CSP on a semi that did Loveland Pass with no chains.... 2mph fun

[The SnowShow]

Da wife called CSP on a semi that did Loveland Pass with no chains.... 2mph fun

Good for her. That shit pisses the fuck outta me.

[capulin overdrive]

Crazy ass thunderstorms way out east on the plains. Hail up to 2 inch, and well over a half dozen tornadoes from the Texas Panhandle up into Kansas.

[fastfred]

code 15 super slippery out there all icy or slush pick one still could drive with my knees and lite the bowl so it wasn't that bad I guess 70 was a mess frisco to trailerthorne and backbrapp

[Danno]

285 wasn't too bad.

[DasBlunt]

accident closed I70 at the Eisen tunnel about 130PM

[The SnowShow]

EB to tunnel closed again...what's that, 14?

[The SnowShow]

WB VAil Pass closed today..15

[summit]

We found the boat on Vail pass. The boat got out of the left lane eventually.

[Elkhound Odin]

Getting closer to opening the I-70 express lane (or more often, not open). It's only going to be open during peak times (some weekends) but not during heavy snow (ha!, fantastic, just when it should be open). They claimed the limitation due to the shoulder not designed to handle normal loads. But the toll lane is the left lane, the shoulder became the right lane, so normal traffic will be on it. So, um, uh?

I was also wondering how many toll points there will be. It doesn't look like they are installed yet. With the toll lane so close to the normal lane, will it be possible for the receiver to pick up a transponder in the normal lane and then get dinged for the toll? How are they are going to keep cars out of the lane when it's "closed" since it won't have a significant space divider like other express lanes? Maybe it will become a true passing only lane to skip around those left lane campers?

From the CDOT site......

The Express Lane runs 13 miles along eastbound I-70 from Empire through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels in Idaho Springs, only during periods of peak travel such as weekends and holidays (approximately 73 days a year). It will be a shoulder when not open and will likely not open during heavy snow.
• The I-70 Mountain Express Lane can divert 750-900 cars from the free general purpose lanes, which should allow them and even the frontage roads to be less congested.
• Those traveling in the Express Lane should expect up to a 30-minute time savings.
• Travelers enter the Express Lane at Empire Junction or before the Veterans Memorial Twin Tunnels.
• Express Lane users who want to exit at Idaho Springs may use the signed Express Lane exit for Idaho Springs, prior to Exit 239.
• Travelers exiting I-70 eastbound to US 6 at Floyd Hill (Exit 244) can enter US 6 without a charge.
• Vehicles with trailers (i.e. longer than 25 feet) and trucks will not be permitted to use the Express Lane at any point. HOV and motorcycles will be required to pay a toll.
• If traffic is detoured onto the Express Lane during an incident on I-70 or if there is an incident on the Express Lane, no toll will be charged.

[Shredhead]

I think a lot of people will get dinged for inadvertently entering the toll lane.
Plus, If you are in a rental and enter any toll road just once, the rental company charges you the transponder charge for every day of your rental.

[The SnowShow]

I've been wondering the same things: How do they "close" the lane when not in use? What keeps people from switching in and out of the toll and middle lane to pass people in the middle lane? I've noticed the overhead scanners are up, but could easily be avoided if you're going back and forth between those lanes. I think they're every few miles?
The lane seems really really tight near the Empire exit to Dumont...I foresee some close calls with the jersey barrier or other cars. It will be interesting to see this clusterfuck play out.

Getting closer to opening the I-70 express lane (or more often, not open). It's only going to be open during peak times (some weekends) but not during heavy snow (ha!, fantastic, just when it should be open). They claimed the limitation due to the shoulder not designed to handle normal loads. But the toll lane is the left lane, the shoulder became the right lane, so normal traffic will be on it. So, um, uh?

I was also wondering how many toll points there will be. It doesn't look like they are installed yet. With the toll lane so close to the normal lane, will it be possible for the receiver to pick up a transponder in the normal lane and then get dinged for the toll? How are they are going to keep cars out of the lane when it's "closed" since it won't have a significant space divider like other express lanes? Maybe it will become a true passing only lane to skip around those left lane campers?

From the CDOT site......

The Express Lane runs 13 miles along eastbound I-70 from Empire through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels in Idaho Springs, only during periods of peak travel such as weekends and holidays (approximately 73 days a year). It will be a shoulder when not open and will likely not open during heavy snow.
• The I-70 Mountain Express Lane can divert 750-900 cars from the free general purpose lanes, which should allow them and even the frontage roads to be less congested.
• Those traveling in the Express Lane should expect up to a 30-minute time savings.
• Travelers enter the Express Lane at Empire Junction or before the Veterans Memorial Twin Tunnels.
• Express Lane users who want to exit at Idaho Springs may use the signed Express Lane exit for Idaho Springs, prior to Exit 239.
• Travelers exiting I-70 eastbound to US 6 at Floyd Hill (Exit 244) can enter US 6 without a charge.
• Vehicles with trailers (i.e. longer than 25 feet) and trucks will not be permitted to use the Express Lane at any point. HOV and motorcycles will be required to pay a toll.
• If traffic is detoured onto the Express Lane during an incident on I-70 or if there is an incident on the Express Lane, no toll will be charged.

[The SnowShow]

Another closure
I70 WB at Gtown

[smmokan]

A "safety closure"... so is this the new trend? They're going to close I-70 every time it snows so it's "safer"? Of course it's safer if there aren't any cars on the road.

[The SnowShow]

Also an EB closure bc of livestock on the road near Mt Vernon. Ummm ok.

[Name Redacted]

A "safety closure"... so is this the new trend? They're going to close I-70 every time it snows so it's "safer"? Of course it's safer if there aren't any cars on the road.

How is that new? They've been doing it for years. FWIW It is has been nuking for the last few hours and it looks like everything is still open. Pretty surprising really. I've got to get from S-thorne to Frisco this afternoon so hopefully at least one route stays open.

[Elkhound Odin]

I saw somewhere CDOT announced that I70 will be closed during the winter with sporadic openings.

[montanaskier]

FRM:cdot@service.govdelivery.com
MSG:I-70 WB 228 Georgetown to the Tunnel Closed for accidents.

[MakersTeleMark]

VP closed now too.

[hatchgreenchile]

Also an EB closure bc of livestock on the road near Mt Vernon. Ummm ok.

Friday afternoon cattle drive. Par for the course.

[montanaskier]

Now closed c470 all the way to Silverthorne

[The SnowShow]

I saw somewhere CDOT announced that I70 will be closed during the winter with sporadic openings.

True, so true. Today's a perfect example.

According to google maps, there are 12 traffic accidents or incidents currently between C-470 and Vail. Amazing.

[doebedoe]

Just got home. 2 hours from Loveland. Absolute shit show. Westbound was closed every 10 miles. Eastbound flowed relatively smoothly with the exception of a few cars in ditches. Exactly the cars you'd expect: Chrysler 300, Toyota MR2, too fast Subie Impreza.

Floyd Hill was a solid sheet of icy shit. Hopefully better by morning.

The skiing was worth it. And Bessie the AWD Astro Van loved her new snow tires.