Safety Improvement Project at Hanging Lake Tunnel Begins Next Week

July 3, 2019 - Northwestern Colorado

GLENWOOD SPRINGS— On Monday, July 8th, The Colorado Department of Transportation and its design-build contractor, Myers & Sons Construction, will begin a safety improvement project to install new vertical lift and fire doors in the I-70 Hanging Lake Tunnel Garage Complex from milepost 125-126, near Glenwood Springs. 

This 2.08 million dollar project includes the replacement of two large doors in both traveling directions of I-70. Project crews will begin with the garage doors located on the westbound lanes of the tunnels, which will impact a single lane of westbound traffic daily. Work on the eastbound door is scheduled for early September. Completion of the project is planned for early December 2019. 

The Hanging Lake Tunnels are located between Gypsum and Glenwood Springs. The 4,300-foot-long Tunnel Complex was initially completed in 1992 alongside Glenwood Canyon construction, which began in 1980. The tunnel houses a command center (the Cinnamon Creek Control Complex) that monitors traffic throughout Glenwood Canyon and under Wolf Creek Pass along US 160. The new garage doors will improve access to the Cinnamon Creek Control Complex. This center provides coordination of emergency response to accidents that happen in the area. The new garage doors are designed to provide improved functionality and fire protection for CDOT crews and they are expected to last at least 30 years. 

Normal working hours will be 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and Fridays from 5 a.m. until 12 p.m. Motorists can also expect single-lane closures overnight Monday through Thursday, between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. to preserve the work area. Traffic delays are expected. Please plan additional time for commutes through the tunnels.  

PROJECT INFORMATION

For additional information about this project, call the project information line at 970.456.1195, email the team at [email protected], or visit the Project website and sign up for updates. For information on travel conditions visit COTrip.org, sign up for GovDelivery, or call 511. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and CDOT’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/coloradodot.

REMEMBER: SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE 

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.

  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.

  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.

  • Be patient!

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located 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. It also 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.