If you were headed to Vail on Interstate 70 this morning you may have run into a traffic snarl due to a rock slide that caused a 1.5 hour closure of westbound lanes. There are no reports of injuries from the slide that originated in Dowd Junction and lanes were fully reopened by at 9:30am. As the springtime thaw and freeze weather cycle starts to take hold in Colorado watch out for an increase in the natural process known as “ice-jacking” that breaks loose these dangerous geohazards. Be aware, be patient with road crews and stay on top of road closures with the CDOT:
Doesn’t look pretty in Dowd Junction. pic.twitter.com/gPkMtfQZ1V
— Vail Police (@VailPolice) March 15, 2023
#I70 westbound: Right lane closed due to rocks on the road between Exit 173 – West Vail and Exit 171 – Minturn. Slower speeds advised. https://t.co/0fRYcSuJ7x
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) March 15, 2023