I-70 Reopens Through Glenwood Canyon In Western Colorado After Flood Threat Moves Away
(CBS4) - Traffic is moving through Glenwood Canyon once again on Interstate 70 in western Colorado. Heavy rain and the threat of flash flooding forced the Colorado Department of Transportation to close the interstate on Wednesday afternoon, and the closure lasted until early Friday morning.
CDOT now has vehicles moving in one lane each direction due to repairs that are ongoing after destructive mudslides that happened at the end of July.
Some small slides of "material" happened on the interstate during the rainstorms that passed through on Wednesday and Thursday but those are now cleared from the lanes where traffic is moving.
"Crews were encouraged by how well the canyon landscape weathered over 3 inches of rain that fell over a 24 hour period," a CDOT spokesperson said.
Drivers traveling through Glenwood Canyon are urged to pay attention to the slower speed limits that are in place and keep their eyes on the road.
The interstate was fully closed for the first half of August and the limited reopening began last Saturday. Full repairs to I-70 through Glenwood Canyon are not expected to be completed until Thanksgiving.
Why Are There Mudslides In Glenwood Canyon In 2021?
Several mud and debris flows in Glenwood Canyon have happened during heavy rainstorms this summer, but none were as destructive as the ones at the end of July. The mudslides are a result of the Grizzly Creek Fire, which burned up and down the canyon walls in 2020.
The 32,631 acre fire left a burn scar on the blackened canyonside that has little plant grown in it to keep the soil from eroding when heavy rainstorms pass through.
