The Denver Post is reporting that the infamous I-70 corridor is less congested and dangerous than it has been in years past. The report comes after a big winter season in Colorado, which saw an unseasonably snowy May and a drier than normal mid-winter.
Although skier visits were down statewide, the Colorado Department of Transportation is claiming a victory for a “three-fold strategy” employed by the organization to decrease traffic, amount of accidents, and delays through public education, improved roads, and support operations.
“From Frisco to C-470, there was a 35 percent drop in injury and fatal crashes and a 46 percent dip in weather-related crashes, according to CDOT data,” said the Denver Post on Monday, adding that “Unplanned closures were also reduced by 16 percent, while the number of hours of delay longer than 75 minutes on eastbound I-70 was cut by 26 percent.”
Many attribute the decrease in traffic to the widening of the Twin Tunnels prior to the Empire exit, which accesses Berthoud Pass, Winter Park, and Ski Granby. The construction on the tunnel was the first enhancement to the I-70 corridor in 40 years.
In addition to this improvement, CDOT also invested $8 million in plow support and started the “Change Your Peak Drive” campaign, whose aim was to educate Colorado drivers about driving on I-70 during the winter months.
