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[thenetwork]

Looks like I-70 will be closed all weekend due to severe mudslides.

I can't seem to embed the video, and the linked video shows the enormity of the localized damage. It's going to take some time to get the road cleared, and we've got more monsoons forecast all weekend long.

Looks like some of the concrete guardrails on the upper/westbound deck were based on some video I saw on the local news channels.

Here is some more video and photos:  https://www.vaildaily.com/news/travelers-stranded-during-second-glenwood-canyon-closure-thursday-night-hole-up-at-tunnels-until-they-could-be-escorted-out-safely/

[Plutonic Panda]

Maybe a stupid question but what do they do with the debris? Just throw it down further or do they take it somewhere?

[US 89]

Yep, there was a flash flood emergency issued for that I-70 Glenwood Canyon burn scar last night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those issued west of the plains, much less for a burn scar flood. Those tend to be reserved for events where entire sections of flat eastern cities are underwater and multiple water rescues are occurring.

I was told this was going to be a 3-4 day closure, but based on that video I would not be surprised if it’s longer. And with the monsoon moisture staying firmly in place, daily storm chances look pretty high through Wednesday next week ... so more mudslides could easily set back cleanup efforts an additional day or two.

[zachary_amaryllis]

i live on co-14 and had to show proof of address before i could go home yesterday. the actual closure was about 20 miles above me.

about glenwood canyon: a lot of people say that road was badly engineered. i disagree. i think it's amazing that they shoehorned an interstate into that canyon. you can't plan for massive burn scars, or there wouldn't be any roads in the mountains at all.

last i looked, like 46 miles of i-70 is closed.

[tdindy88]

I stayed in Glenwood Springs for a couple of nights back at the beginning of June and got to drive through Glenwood Canyon three times in each direction. I stopped at all the rest areas, saw the burn scars from the fires the previous year and hiked up to Hanging Lake. I agree with it being a spectacular drive. I was very impressed, that stretch of highway lived up to its reputation. Now I feel very fortunate that I was able to do that given all the times it's been closed this summer.

[zzcarp]

about glenwood canyon: a lot of people say that road was badly engineered. i disagree. i think it's amazing that they shoehorned an interstate into that canyon. you can't plan for massive burn scars, or there wouldn't be any roads in the mountains at all.

I agree it wasn't badly engineered. In fact, I-70 through Glenwood Canyon won awards, and my reading articles about its construction definitely influenced my decision to become a civil engineer.

That said, building I-70 through the canyon as opposed to a new terrain route higher up the ridgelines caused some of the present difficulties. The Grizzly Creek fire was directly caused by sparks from a vehicle traveling on I-70. Its design also makes it susceptible to the mudslides. The newer westbound lanes, somewhat cantilevered from the cliff, have more viaducts and are doing a little better than the eastbound lanes that are lower and collect nearly all the debris.

I assert to fix this that CDOT will have to construct additional bridges along the corridor over the slide-prone areas to minimize these disruptions. Also, CDOT needs to take over the northerly Cottonwood Pass at Gypsum, pave it, and have it as an alternate state highway for these closure periods. Consistent 200-mile detours are untenable for the state and federal highway system.

[brad2971]

about glenwood canyon: a lot of people say that road was badly engineered. i disagree. i think it's amazing that they shoehorned an interstate into that canyon. you can't plan for massive burn scars, or there wouldn't be any roads in the mountains at all.

I agree it wasn't badly engineered. In fact, I-70 through Glenwood Canyon won awards, and my reading articles about its construction definitely influenced my decision to become a civil engineer.

That said, building I-70 through the canyon as opposed to a new terrain route higher up the ridgelines caused some of the present difficulties. The Grizzly Creek fire was directly caused by sparks from a vehicle traveling on I-70. Its design also makes it susceptible to the mudslides. The newer westbound lanes, somewhat cantilevered from the cliff, have more viaducts and are doing a little better than the eastbound lanes that are lower and collect nearly all the debris.

I assert to fix this that CDOT will have to construct additional bridges along the corridor over the slide-prone areas to minimize these disruptions. Also, CDOT needs to take over the northerly Cottonwood Pass at Gypsum, pave it, and have it as an alternate state highway for these closure periods. Consistent 200-mile detours are untenable for the state and federal highway system.

Depends. When it comes to cross-country truck traffic, I-80 to I-15 is a perfectly acceptable detour whenever Glenwood Canyon has mudslide issues. Also, I-25 to I-40 can be a good truck traffic detour as well.

[zzcarp]

Adequate detours or not, prepare for an extended closure.

The situation on I-70 through Glenwood canyon isn’t getting any better

CDOT says there is “extreme damage" from mudslides this weekend. Engineers “described damage to the viaduct structure unlike anything they had seen before.”

I-70 remains closed through the canyon #9News pic.twitter.com/j7kCu5Jr3a

— Marc Sallinger (@MarcSallinger) August 1, 2021

?s=21

[Plutonic Panda]

Wow

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/mudslides-close-46-miles-i-70-colorado?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=News-Story-August-2021

[zachary_amaryllis]

they are going to have to do a major rehab on that road. we went through there in may, and it was beat to all hell already, before all of this.

[zzcarp]

To add some time and turns to the southern detour, US 285 is closing between Fairplay and Buena Vista for 3 months today.

According to CDOT there will be a full closure of Highway 285 south of Fairplay starting Aug. 2 and it will last for three months. Crews will be replacing a bridge over the South Fork of the South Platte River. A detour will take you around the closure using Highways 9 and 24, but you will encounter some additional construction crews and shoulder or lane closures that are related to the project, including one on Highway 9 at milepost 63.

[Kniwt]

The Grand Junction Sentinel has a lengthy report on the efforts to improve Cottonwood Pass as much as possible to perhaps make it a viable detour for light vehicles for at least part of the year:
https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/making-cottonwood-pass-more-passable-unofficial-i-70-detour-eyed-for-improvements/article_941b3254-efc9-11eb-bcba-7351862610a9.html

It�s not paved, it�s not open year-round, it�s no place to drive a semi, and its use is discouraged by the Colorado Department of Transportation as a detour route when Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon is closed.

But the Cottonwood Pass Road southeast of Glenwood Springs is proving popular and useful nonetheless for some motorists trying to get between that city and points east during increasingly common I-70 closures, and Eagle and Garfield counties are looking at ways to improve its functionality.

Officials in the two counties have renewed discussions about possible upgrades to the road to improve its viability for use by motorists when I-70 through the canyon shuts down.

[kwellada]

Wow

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/mudslides-close-46-miles-i-70-colorado?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=News-Story-August-2021

I haven't lived in Colorado for over 15 years and used to take I-70 regularly. NOTHING back then comes close to what is going on right now. I'm pretty stunned at those images!

[Great Lakes Roads]

Here are some drone shots from CDOT... It looks pretty bad!

[US 89]

To add some time and turns to the southern detour, US 285 is closing between Fairplay and Buena Vista for 3 months today.

According to CDOT there will be a full closure of Highway 285 south of Fairplay starting Aug. 2 and it will last for three months. Crews will be replacing a bridge over the South Fork of the South Platte River. A detour will take you around the closure using Highways 9 and 24, but you will encounter some additional construction crews and shoulder or lane closures that are related to the project, including one on Highway 9 at milepost 63.

That closure has been postponed indefinitely thanks to I-70. Article has been updated to reflect this.

And at any rate, even when it happens only the part between Fairplay and Antero Junction will be affected - you'll still be able to take 24/285 between Buena Vista and Antero Jct, and the SH 9/US 24 detour via Hartsel is only 7 miles longer than 285 would be.

[epzik8]

My dad just texted me about the Glenwood Canyon situation. Both of us, along with each of my brothers, have clinched I-70.

[thenetwork]

The latest news is not good:  Glenwood Canyon could be closed for weeks...or months.  And crew's can only do so much while rain (and associated risks) is in the forecast.

This site shows drone footage:  https://kdvr.com/news/local/gov-polis-update-on-i-70-damage-through-glenwood-canyon/

[JayhawkCO]

Just drove back from Grand Junction today (detouring on the northern route) and while I was on I-70 just past the tunnel, the road was closed due to another rock slide.  Had to sit and wait in the driving rain for 20 minutes before I got to continue hydroplaning down the hill.  Good times.

Chris

[thenetwork]

Just drove back from Grand Junction today (detouring on the northern route) and while I was on I-70 just past the tunnel, the road was closed due to another rock slide.  Had to sit and wait in the driving rain for 20 minutes before I got to continue hydroplaning down the hill.  Good times.

Chris

My work took me up CO-139 to Rangely today.  From there I took Rio Blanco CR-1 to US-40 at Blue Mountain, then east to Steamboat. 

If you are coming in from Utah. CO-139 and US-40 west of Craig/CO-13 is a wonderful alternative to taking CO-13 north from Rifle -- very little traffic. 

Craig to Steamboat was noticeably busier (as this is part of the official I-70 detour), and driving through Steamboat was a royal pain.

I had to go to Eagle, so I took CO‐131.  Not much traffic going south, but there was a lot more traffic going north -- likely a lot of travelers (and semis) who thought "maybe* I-70 would re-open by the time they got to CO-131.

Tomorrow, I go east to Vail, then south to Leadville.  From there, I'll continue south until I can head west to an open route connecting me to either US-50 or i-70 back to Grand Junction.

[JayhawkCO]

Just drove back from Grand Junction today (detouring on the northern route) and while I was on I-70 just past the tunnel, the road was closed due to another rock slide.  Had to sit and wait in the driving rain for 20 minutes before I got to continue hydroplaning down the hill.  Good times.

Chris

My work took me up CO-139 to Rangely today.  From there I took Rio Blanco CR-1 to US-40 at Blue Mountain, then east to Steamboat. 

CO-139 and US-40 west of Craig/CO-13 is a wonderful alternative to taking CO-13 noeth from RIFLE

I wanted to do that, but my family wanted to stop in Palisade and when I mapped the two routes, CO139 was 40 minutes longer.  If it weren't so rainy, I was tempted to cut across the Flat Top Wilderness east of Meeker.

Chris

[Rover_0]

Honestly, I�m kind of surprised that US-285 and US-50 aren�t used more for I-70 detours between Denver and points further west. It seems to be a little more direct and less windy than CO-9, US-40, and CO-13.

[JayhawkCO]

Honestly, I�m kind of surprised that US-285 and US-50 aren�t used more for I-70 detours between Denver and points further west. It seems to be a little more direct and less windy than CO-9, US-40, and CO-13.

Originally, on weekdays between 8:30 and 5:30, they had US50 closed between Montrose and Sapinero-ish.  They postponed that construction with the canyon being shut down.

Chris

[US 89]

Honestly, I’m kind of surprised that US-285 and US-50 aren’t used more for I-70 detours between Denver and points further west. It seems to be a little more direct and less windy than CO-9, US-40, and CO-13.

Originally, on weekdays between 8:30 and 5:30, they had US50 closed between Montrose and Sapinero-ish.  They postponed that construction with the canyon being shut down.

Chris

And the detour for that closure was SH 92 - which, although very scenic, is just about the exact opposite of fast...

[thenetwork]

After traveling between Gunnison and Grand Junctiion today, there is a significant rise in I-70 Detour traffic now that US-50 is fully open through that major construction zone east of Montrose.

There was noticeable work already performed in the narrow canyon, with some cliff walls beginning to be eliminated.  Fortunately, the road surface was not yet torn out, but it is rough because the pavement is old.

There is minor single lane traffic on a stretch between Grand Junction and Delta, but the traffic moves at 55+.  CDOT just switched all traffic to the eastbound lanes today.

My only pet peeve is that despite CDOT letting people know that US-50 is now fully open between Montrose and Gunnison on the overhead VMS signs, there are still visible roadside orange signs and portable VMS signs still saying the road is still closed at certain times.  They need to get on the ball and cover/turn off those conflicting signs.

[Rover_0]

Honestly, I�m kind of surprised that US-285 and US-50 aren�t used more for I-70 detours between Denver and points further west. It seems to be a little more direct and less windy than CO-9, US-40, and CO-13.

Originally, on weekdays between 8:30 and 5:30, they had US50 closed between Montrose and Sapinero-ish.  They postponed that construction with the canyon being shut down.

Chris

Honestly, I�m kind of surprised that US-285 and US-50 aren�t used more for I-70 detours between Denver and points further west. It seems to be a little more direct and less windy than CO-9, US-40, and CO-13.

Originally, on weekdays between 8:30 and 5:30, they had US50 closed between Montrose and Sapinero-ish.  They postponed that construction with the canyon being shut down.

Chris

And the detour for that closure was SH 92 - which, although very scenic, is just about the exact opposite of fast...

Oh yea, I forgot about the road work on US-50.