CBS Colorado and CDOT are teaming up to get you Road Trip Ready. We want you to stay safe and enjoy your summer road trip, so here are some important tips and resources to make your road trip a smooth and safe one.

Be Prepared, Have a Plan

• Consider packing items to keep you or children occupied while waiting in the car. Activity books, colored pencils or a deck of cards can help pass the time. Find out if there are any construction projects on the roads where you may be driving.
• Construction can mean delays or closures. Be aware that some construction projects take place at night. Consider alternate routes if needed. Visit COtrip.org to see current projects.
• Know the weather forecast for the areas where you will be driving.
• If you are stuck waiting for a road to be cleared of mud or rocks, do not leave your car unless absolutely necessary.
• Never hang out in the median located between lanes. If traffic is moving in the opposite direction, the median can be a hazardous area! Emergency response agencies and heavy equipment may also need the median area to move about.
• Emergency highway closures can last for long periods of time. Supply your car with an emergency kit. The kit should contain at the very minimum: water, snacks, flashlight, and a blanket. Remember to also carry water for your pets if you're traveling with animals.

Drive for Conditions

• Water and mud can contain unknown hazards hidden under the surface - rocks or other debris, like plant material and tree branches. Never drive through flooded areas, you do not know how deep or how fast the water is running.
• Even 8 to 10 inches of water can float an average-sized car, which can be easily swept off the road.
• Driving too fast on wet roads, hail covered roads or in flooded areas can cause a vehicle to hydroplane. Never use cruise control during rainy conditions with standing water on the roadway.
• Any amount of flooding or mud can obstruct the roadway and hinder drivers from knowing exactly where to drive. If you cannot see the roadway wait for the water to subside.

Leave Extra Room

• Leave extra room between your vehicle and others on the road at all times.
• Give pedestrians and bicyclists room when you see them on the side of the road.
• Move over safely when approaching first responders or law enforcement responding to emergency incidents on the side of the road.
• In inclement weather, even vehicles with four-wheel/all-wheel drive cannot stop any quicker on slick roads--but especially if you do not have adequate tires.

Give Your Vehicle a SafetyCheck

• Give your vehicle a tune-up before long trips.
• Check the oil level and oil filter. Get an oil change if necessary.
• Inspect the battery and check battery cables for proper connections or erosion.
• Inspect your brakes and pads.
• Make sure the wiper blades work properly.

For additional tips,information and resources go to https://www.codot.gov/travel

Express Lanes are new lanesbuilt in addition to any existing general-purpose lanes to provide drivers thechoice of a more reliable trip by paying a toll. Toll prices are set to managetraffic and have just the right number of vehicles in the lane to providereliable, shorter travel time.

On some Express Lanes, tollscan change in price depending on the level of congestion. As traffic increases,the toll price goes up to make sure the lane always remains a free-flowingalternative for travelers. Conversely, the toll price will decrease when thereis less traffic in the lane. Drivers will always be charged the amount on theoverhead signage when they enter the Express Lanes.

https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes

Program Background and Goals:

How does the programwork/what are the general rules and fines?

• In 2023, CTIO began using advanced roadside technology including sensors and cameras to enforce safety violations along Express Lane corridors in a first-of-its-kind program. The general rules are:
  • No weaving - Do not enter or exit Express Lanes outside authorized access zones.
  • No oversized vehicles - No oversized vehicles (more than two axles, 25 feet or longer, or trailers) in the I-70 Mountain Express Lanes from Idaho Springs to Empire.
  • Only use when open - No using the I-70 Mountain Express Lanes from Idaho Springs to Empire outside operating hours.

• Fines start at $75 and if left unpaid after 20 days, will go up to $150.
• Fines are mailed directly to the vehicle's registered address.

Safety:

• The program is intended to improve safety on all Express Lanes.
  • "Weaving" behavior is a safety hazard that frequently causes crashes, as Express Lanes regularly have speed differentials compared to general purpose lanes and drivers are not expecting cars to enter or exit the lane over solid line.
  • The I-70 Mountain Express Lanes are narrower than standard highway lanes and not safe for oversized vehicles.
  • When the I-70 Mountain Express Lanes are closed, they act as shoulders for emergency responders and disabled vehicles.

Back to the Basics:

• Cross the line, pay the fine.
  • A quick and easy way to remember to avoid a fine, enter and exit through dashed lines only.
• If you're ever unclear, think back to traffic school:
  • What do the lines mean?
    • If there are two solid, double white lines, it is unsafe to cross.
    • If there is one solid white or yellow line, it is unsafe to cross.
  • What does a solid next to a dashed line mean?
    • Only enter or exit when the dashed line is closest to you.
  • What do the signs say?
    • Pay attention to roadway signage warning of upcoming Express Lane entrances, exits and open status.

The Express Lanes Safety andToll Enforcement Program (STEP) is managed by the Colorado TransportationInvestment Office (CTIO), the government-owned business within CDOT thatoversees Colorado's Express Lanes. The program encourages safe driving on CTIO'snetwork of Express Lanes by using sophisticated roadside technology to enforceExpress Lane rules. Violators identified by this technology will be issued acivil penalty via mail based on the registered address of the vehicle's licenseplate. Violations not paid within 20 days of issuance will increase to a $150civil penalty.

STEP is meant to encouragedrivers to use the Express Lanes safely and correctly and prevent dangerousbehaviors such as weaving in and out of the Express Lanes. Safety for allmotorists along these corridors is the top priority of this enforcement.

For more information aboutthe program, please visit the ExpressLanes STEP webpage.

Where is STEP active?

• As of Jan. 1, 2025, STEP is active on all tolled Colorado Express Lanes. This program will eventually be active on all corridors in the Colorado Express Lane network.

STEP Resources:

• STEP Active Corridor Map
• STEP Tear-off Pad and Request Form
• Colorado Express Lane Video Links
  • 30-second STEP Overview
  • 15-second STEP Overview
  • 30-second striping overview
• Dash cam footage of a vehicle weaving and hitting a car in the Express Lane.