CDOT urges motorists to plan ahead and know before you go!

March 1, 2019 - Statewide Travel - Check cotrip.org before leaving for weekend travel plans

STATEWIDE — Do your weekend plans include hitting the slopes to take advantage of the fresh powder? Or maybe heading to Vail to watch the Snowboarding Championships? Or joining the foodies in the Mile High City to experience Denver Restaurant Week? No matter what your plans, know about road conditions before you head out. Colorado Department of Transportation recommends using cotrip.org for travel planning.

A multi-day winter weather event is expected to impact areas of Colorado throughout the weekend, with moderate to heavy snowfall possible. The I-70 mountain corridor could see 6-12” of new snow through the weekend. Winds are expected, which could create low visibility at times, along with blowing and drifting snow. The storm will also have impacts to the I-25 Front Range including Denver Metro, where accumulations of 1-3” are possible. Additionally, the southwest region of the state may see several inches of snowfall through the weekend and into early next week.  

Reduce the likelihood of closures and conditions impacting your weekend agenda by planning ahead. Before you go, check cotrip.org for up-to-date information on road closures and conditions.  CDOT continues to provide options for getting travel alert information in front of motorists. Recently, CDOT added Twitter “Travel Alerts” to our desktop Facebook page. There are plans to make this information available on mobile devices as well.

CDOT does ask you no longer rely on the Colorado Roads App. CDOT has not supported this old mobile application  in more than three years and is concerned the app does not provide reliable nor up-to-date information. CDOT’s cotrip.org is adaptive to mobile devices and is the most reliable option for conditions and closures. The site also allows users to tap into the statewide roadway camera system and snowplow tracker.

Already on the road? CDOT populates the phone 511 system with current closures and conditions, in addition to providing information to local media. CDOT boasts a statewide system of variable message boards (electronic signs) to get realtime information to drivers. Please do not use a mobile device while operating a vehicle.

Take advantage of the resource that works best for you and don’t be caught off guard by this weekend’s winter driving conditions. Make sure your car is equipped to handle conditions and you have an emergency kit packed.

STAY INFORMED: Road and weather conditions are available by dialing 511, 303-639-1111, or visiting www.cotrip.org. Also available on the COtrip site are:

ABOUT CDOT: CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located at its Denver headquarters and in regional offices throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and airports, and administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service.  Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.