I-70 Vail Pass construction could slow down Coloradans' summer travel

If you're headed up to the Colorado high country this summer along Interstate 70, you should know this before you head off: Vail Pass is entering its ninth year of construction. Crews are working on widening curves, adding wildlife crossings and overall making the most dangerous stretch of I-70 safer for everyone going over it.

"Statistically in Colorado, it has the highest crash rate in all of I-70 and it switches annually between milepost 186 and 188," John Kronholm, resident engineer for Eagle and Lake Counties for the Colorado Department of Transportation said. "It's got steep grades and tight curves. We can't do anything about the steep grades, but we can do something about the curves."

The project is in a tough spot, and the crews trying to finish it have been working on and off when they can, due to turbulent weather conditions.

"We typically say from about May 1 to maybe Nov. 8, if we're lucky," Kronholm said, while being blasted by snow on the first day of May in 2025. "It's very limited."

Crews were working on Thursday to clear snow so summer teams can get moving. 

Once construction actually starts, the Colorado Department of Transportation will issue notifications to drivers for either full traffic holds or simply lane closures that could impact the drive. Although Kronholm said his teams intentionally try to limit those interruptions to low times of traffic. To sign up for text alerts on the project, text "vailpass" to 21000 (CDOT points out you should do this before getting on the road. Keep those phones down.)

"Beginning on June 2 for about three weeks, we'll have multiple traffic calls throughout the days for 20 minutes at a time," Kronholm explained. "Drivers should start noticing us working in late May."