I- 70 project slated to begin next week; left- turn lanes at Exit 205 will be shortened

Drivers going through Silverthorne should expect to face night work near Exit 205 for the next few months, starting Monday.

As part of the Interstate 70 auxiliary lane project that will affect Exits 203 and 205, the Colorado Department of Transportation will be shortening the left- turn lanes under the interstate. This will affect drivers turning onto I- 70 toward Denver and travelers turning from U. S. 6 onto the I- 70 ramp toward Frisco.

During night work, crews will finish by 6 a. m. to minimize the effects to commuter traffic.

Elise Thatcher, communications manager for the northwest region of CDOT, said Thursday that the department will phase into night work because of the uncertain weather in April.

“The first round of work really takes place underneath I- 70 in that Highway 6 and Highway 9 area, so we’re going to be doing work right underneath I- 70,” Thatcher said. “The main goal is to make sure that we’re getting that work out of the way as soon as possible and certainly before the busiest part of the summer season. They’ll have some of the biggest impacts, and we want to get it taken care of before there’s a lot more folks visiting the area and a lot more vehicles on the road.”

Thatcher said travelers who use these on ramps should budget for an extra 20 minutes of travel time because of construction impacts.

The Silverthorne Town Council, representatives from CDOT and the construction firm tasked with the project met March 23 to discuss potential impacts to the town when the large- scale project begins.

In total, the project will affect the area between mile markers 202 and 207 of the interstate.

Until September 2023, crews plan to repave and restripe eastbound lanes, widen the bridges over U. S. 6 and the Blue River, build deer fencing in both directions of the interstate between mile markers 203 and 205, improve trucker parking, and build a longer deceleration lane at the 205 off ramp.

The department does not plan to deal with westbound lanes between Silverthorne and Frisco.

The goal of the project in 2022 is to complete any traffic delays before July, CDOT resident engineer Grant Anderson told the Town Council in March.

This project is one of several that will occur on this part of the I- 70 corridor this construction season.

Near Vail Pass, CDOT has planned to continue a nine- figure upgrade to I- 70 that also will start this month, and that work will involve lane closures and rock blasting, stopping the interstate in both directions for up to 30 minutes.

Construction on that project will continue into the fall.

According to the project fact sheet for the auxiliary lane project, CDOT is encouraging travelers to use its Cotrip app to watch real- time impacts.

“Other projects on I- 70 are happening in close proximity. These each have their own prime contractors and construction times,” the overview reads. “The I- 70 construction teams are in close communication to help keep the public informed.”

State infrastructure and emergency services leaders also concluded that in the event that Glenwood Canyon’s portion of the interstate is closed because of mudslides, detours would go through Silverthorne. Westbound traffic from Denver will be routed north on Colorado 9 from Silverthorne to U. S. 40 through Steamboat Springs to Craig, then back down Colorado 13 to Rifle on I- 70. Eastbound traffic will follow the opposite route.