'Avoid Heading West' Colorado State Patrol Urges Caution During Winter Storm, Westbound I-70 Closed At C-470
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4)- Westbound lanes of Interstate 70 at C-470 were closed for several hours on Wednesday evening and expected to remain closed until 11 p.m. but the closure could extend into Thursday morning. All traffic was diverted to C-470. US 40 through Mt. Vernon Canyon was also closed.
The roads are icy and treacherous. We have had people driving the wrong way, Driving way too fast for the conditions. Spinning out on side streets. We urge essential travel only, slow down, drive with extreme caution if you have to be out.
— CSP Golden (@csp_golden) February 17, 2022
Colorado State Patrol tweeted just before 9 p.m. that it was snowing at a rate of more than one inch per hour, which is more than the Colorado Department of Transportation could keep up with. CSP hoped to reopen I-70 by 11 p.m. but that would depend on getting plows through to clear the road and also getting to all the stuck cars, trucks and semis.
Snowing more than one inch per hour. Extremely hard for @ColoradoDOT to keep up with that snowfall as well as clear the current hazards in the road. Doing the best they can considering the conditions. Will reevaluate opening at 11:00pm.
— CSP Golden (@csp_golden) February 17, 2022
The Colorado State Patrol initially tweeted just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, "Avoid heading west for a few hours, please."
Full Closure Westbound I-70 at C470, mp 260. All traffic being diverted to C470.
— CSP Golden (@csp_golden) February 17, 2022
US 40 through Mt Vernon Canyon is also closed.
Southbound US 285 at Morrison has opened but travel is difficult.
Avoid heading west for a few hours please. S1 https://t.co/hGfvnQgTlP pic.twitter.com/JSpPKIhlDw
Areas such as Conifer, Evergreen, Black Hawk/Central City, Nederland, and Estes Park should see 6 to 12 inches of snow during the Winter Storm Warning in what CBS4 meteorologists have claimed as a First Alert Weather Day.
WB I-70 SAFETY CLOSURE at C470 due to hazardous conditions. Motorists are urged to limit or avoid travel in the Denver region particularly along the foothills during the brunt of the storm tonight (Feb. 16). Latest road conditions posted on https://t.co/bjBVfjLWOG. pic.twitter.com/uFzvDCSqpU
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) February 17, 2022