GEORGETOWN, Colo. (KDVR) — The Presidents Day weekend is without doubt one of the busiest mountain journey holidays in Colorado however skiers and snowboarders are decided to achieve the mountains regardless of some main I-70 backups.
The Colorado Division of Transportation experiences February is traditionally probably the most difficult months for motorists alongside the I-70 mountain hall. Over one million automobiles handed by the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel simply in January, a mean of 34,652 per day — and CDOT expects the identical for February.
“That is usually one of many final large hurrahs for skiers and snowboarders heading to the mountains as a result of it’s a vacation weekend, as a result of individuals have further time and since mid to late February, we normally get hit with a reasonably good storm most years and this yr isn’t any exception,” mentioned Andrew Hogle of CDOT. “If we’ve got individuals visiting, or who will not be accustomed to winter driving, they might simply hop of their automobile and go. The mass of automobiles creating heavy site visitors is one factor, automobiles that are not winter prepared is a complete different situation.”
CDOT reported Friday evening into Saturday morning being the busiest journey occasions on the best way as much as the mountains. With a number of occasions going down at ski resorts, together with a music competition in Vail, CDOT urges drivers to be affected person.
“That is our concern is ensuring individuals have considered what they’re doing earlier than they go do it, they’ve a plan of the place they are going, they’ve checked the street circumstances, their automobile is prepared, they’ve checked their tires, they’re ready in case issues go haywire in case they’ve to attend in site visitors,” mentioned Hogle.
Drivers could possibly be seen stopping at fuel stations in Georgetown Friday afternoon when site visitors actually began to choose up.
“We left at like 1:30 and we obtained ten miles up the street and determined to show round,” mentioned James Keating as he was heading as much as Copper. “Bumper to bumper, slow-moving. We have not been very far.”
Others take pleasure in Friday’s spherical of snow and are avoiding the site visitors in any respect prices.
“It was nice for snowboarding. I imply the driving was robust. Chilly, windy, it was fairly bumpy popping out of the parking zone, in any other case, it has been fairly good,” mentioned Boulder residents Wolf Boone and Rowan Huck, who went snowboarding at Loveland Ski Space. “Arising wasn’t that dangerous. It wasn’t horrible, but it surely was like stop-and-go at a sure level. We obtained up there at like 9:30 or 10. However, even early within the morning, persons are nonetheless attempting to get to the mountain, so it was fairly crowded.”
CDOT really useful coming dwelling from the mountains early Monday morning or Monday evening.
“Our expectation for this specific weekend is it will really feel like two Sundays in a row in all probability. The common Sunday site visitors coming dwelling in all probability, after which lots of people do have Presidents Time off so coming again Monday afternoon will really feel like a Sunday,” mentioned Hogle. “We attempt to not have large tasks over the weekends for these specific functions. We need to make the roads are clear as doable understanding that this can be a high-volume time for the common individual.”
