Emergency Rockfall Mitigation Requires I-70 Closure at Floyd Hill

April 22, 2015 - Central/Eastern Colorado/CDOT Region 1 - The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will perform emergency rockfall mitigation tomorrow, April 23.

Clear Creek County – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will perform emergency rockfall mitigation tomorrow, April 23, on the 300-foot-tall rock cut adjacent to westbound I-70 at mile marker 244, just west of Floyd Hill. For the safety of motorists and CDOT crews, I-70 access will be restricted or completely closed during the course of the mitigation, which is anticipated during daylight hours, specifically:

  • Between 7 -9 a.m., eastbound I-70 lanes will be open and westbound I-70 traffic will be held for 30 minute intervals before being released as crews assess the rock face.
  • At 9 a.m., rock removal will begin and I-70 between Beaver Brook and Hidden Valley will be closed to traffic. Due to the uncertainty of the amount of material needing removal, there is no estimated completion time. Once all rock is removed, additional scaling and clean-up is required before the roadway can reopen.
  • Expect extended delays in the area throughout the mitigation operation.

“We are stewards of the public’s safety on our roadways, which is why we take situations like this extremely seriously,” said Tony DeVito, CDOT Region 1 Transportation Director. “We understand the impact this has on motorists and residents in the area and ask for patience as we complete this safety critical work.”

CDOT is coordinating with emergency first responders and urges casino and wild game traffic to plan alternate routes tomorrow. To receive real time information on this work, visit http://www.cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm, call 511 or download the CDOT mobile app.