Road conditions along the Front Range in Colorado began to deteriorate shortly after snow began to fall gradually Saturday night, causing several major road closures.
All east and west lanes of I-70 were closed between Silverthorne and Denver, after a slow-moving winter storm covered the roads in snow and ice. According to the Department of Transportation, westbound lanes have been closed at the Morrison exit, or milestone 259. There is no estimated time frame for reopening.
“Heavy snow is moving into the area and the road conditions are deteriorating. “Visibility is very low and snow is piled on the road surface,” CDOT said in a statement. “Motorists are encouraged not to find an alternative route, but rather to turn back and find a safe place to wait for the storm.”
WESTERN DECISION is set on C-470, mp 260. All traffic will be diverted east (south) on Colorado 470.
** FULL CLOSURE ** BOTH DIRECTIONS FROM SILVERTHORNE (mp 205) and Denver Metro Area. pic.twitter.com/UfXrkorKrT
– CSP Golden (@csp_golden) 14 March 2021
US 6 through Clear Creek Canyon was also closed in both directions after a frontal collision. North of Fort Collins, I-25 from Wellington to the Wyoming border, closed shortly after 7:30 p.m. due to adverse weather conditions, and US 287 from Livermore to Wyoming closed at about 8:15 p.m.
Near Golden, US 40, both directions closed at 20:35 due to a truck-truck blocking all lanes, CDOT reported.
In addition, CDOT recommends avoiding I-25 between Castle Rock and Monument, as the road is likely to be closed. It is also possible that I-70 is east of Airpark Road, and may close other roads in the Eastern Plain, depending on the severity of the storm.
City and transportation officials urge residents to stay home and not travel at the weekend unless absolutely necessary. Those who need to drive should keep an emergency package with blankets, food, batteries, water, a shovel and survival supplies if they are stuck or stuck, CDOT said.
The storm system, which is expected to dump 1 to 2 feet of snow on Denver and even more in the surrounding areas, brings heavy, wet snow that will make roads slippery as it accumulates, says Kari Bowen, meteorologist from the National Weather Service. in Boulder.
“People did not expect this storm to last that long, so they would have dropped their guard or thought they could go out,” Bowen said. “We want people to understand, even though the snow would have been later in the morning, snow will continue to fall and create dangerous and very influential conditions.”
Anyone catching a flight from Denver International Airport should check flight information before driving to the airport, as more than 1,800 flights have been canceled.