Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) employees worked throughout Saturday to clear a large boulder after a landslide forced a near full-day closure on I-70 eastbound.
The landslide, which occurred between 9-10pm on Friday, August 18, took place near mile point 49 in Debeque Canyon. CDOT directed motorists to the DeBeque cutoff, a route that takes travelers onto Colorado Highway 65 and then onto 45 ½ Road, during the closure.
The closure was announced at 8:30am on August 19. Crews used a rock breaker, drilling equipment, and several other tools to break up the boulders and move them away from the road and shoulder. During this period, some westbound traffic was also put on hold, providing safety while the crews were at work.
“A westbound traffic hold was necessary during the afternoon to allow crews to safely carry out the work. Crews also repaired the roadway before reopening. CDOT appreciates the patience of the traveling public while this safety-critical work took place in order to safely reopen eastbound I-70 in Debeque Canyon.” -CDOT
The road was cleared and reopened at 9:30pm on Saturday. According to CBS Colorado, a 19-year-old man was taken to the hospital after a rock struck him in the head during the landslide, though little other information about the injury is known.
Huge shoutout to the CDOT employees that spent their Saturday working in the hot summer heat to get the highway moving once again. Colorado wouldn’t function very well without its CDOT employees.
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Image Credit: Colorado Department of Transportation via Facebook