Road conditions along Colorado’s Front Range began to deteriorate shortly after snow began to fall continuously on Saturday night, causing several major road closures.
All lanes to the east and west of I-70 are closed between Silverthorne and Denver, after a slow winter storm covered the roads with snow and ice. According to the Department of Transportation, the westbound lanes are closed off Morrison, or 259 mile point. There is no estimated deadline for reopening.
“Heavy snow is entering the area and road conditions are getting worse. Visibility is very low and snow is accumulating on the road, ”said the CDOT in a statement. “Drivers are encouraged not to find an alternative route, but to go back and find a safe place to wait for the storm to pass.”
WESTBOUND CLOSURE being configured on C-470, 260 mp. All traffic will be diverted east (south) on Colorado 470.
** FULL CLOSURE ** BOTH DIRECTIONS FROM SILVERTHORNE (mp 205) and from the Denver metropolitan area. pic.twitter.com/UfXrkorKrT
– CSP Golden (@csp_golden) March 14, 2021
US 6 through Clear Creek Canyon is 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 pm due to adverse weather conditions, and Livermore’s US 287 to Wyoming closed around 8:15 pm
Near Golden, the US 40 closed both directions at 8:35 pm due to a jackknife semi-truck blocking all tracks, 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 east of Airpark Road and other roads on the Eastern Plains may close depending on the severity of the storm.
City and transport authorities recommend residents to stay at home and avoid traveling this weekend, unless absolutely necessary. Those who must drive must keep an emergency kit with blankets, food, batteries, water, a shovel and survival supplies in case they get stuck or stranded, said the CDOT.
The storm system, which is expected to shed 30 to 60 centimeters of snow in Denver and even more in the surrounding areas, is bringing heavy, wet snow that will make roads slippery as they accumulate, said Kari Bowen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. in Boulder.
“People didn’t expect this storm to last that long, so they may have let their guard down or thought they could get out,” Bowen said of the storm’s slow start on Saturday. “We want people to understand that, although the snow may have happened in the late morning, the snow will continue to fall and create dangerous and highly impactful conditions.”
Anyone taking a flight at Denver International Airport should check flight information before driving to the airport, as more than 1,800 trips have been canceled.