DENVER – A scene from a movie in some parts of the state may appear Monday morning. Abandoned vehicles and even snowplows scatter highways and streets up and down the Front Range.
The blizzard that hit Colorado this weekend is pouring more than a foot of snow and causing blizzards in many places, making travel nearly impossible. Authorities asked drivers to stay home, but some did not heed the warning.
Several drivers in Aurora had to be rescued. Police SWAT members rescued several stranded motorists on city roads and on the E-470, which was littered with at least 25-30 stranded vehicles, police said.
Aurora officers also rescued motorists in the vicinity of Quincy and Gun Club Road. Cars left in the driveway.
Police later tweeted that they were responding to major calls from people stranded in their vehicles. Police said they would only respond to calls where people could not find shelter in their immediate area.
APD said Sunday night there were at least 48 stranded or trapped car calls in the city. Most calls were in the northeast and southeast of Aurora. Police said road conditions were so poor that even an initial response awaited help.
The department said by Sunday night that they were still responding to numerous calls, and that their efforts could last until late at night.
Aurora PD
It was the same story in Douglas County. Authorities tweeted that they were ‘responding to a bunch of stranded people in their cars across the country. Please, please stay home. One of our deputies and a CDOT team manager even had problems. ”
Elbert County authorities have advised motorists to prevent abandoned vehicles from clearing snow, and rescue operations may be towed or relocated.
In Denver, cars en route to Denver International Airport were abandoned on Pena Boulevard after the highway became impassable, leaving the A-line as the only means of transportation to the airport.
But many people were in no hurry to get to DIA. Overwhelmed by more than 20 centimeters of snowfall, the storm effectively halted operations at the airport. Airlines have not yet planned a decision on Monday and cancellations are expected.