CDOT reopened a stretch of I-70 in Glenwood Canyon. A Flash Flood Warning forced the closure on Tuesday afternoon. The two closure points along I-70 are at mile marker 133, Dotsero and mile marker 116, Glenwood Springs. The interstate was closed due to the risk of flooding in the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar.
Several mud and debris flows in Glenwood Canyon happened during heavy rainstorms last summer, but none were as destructive as the ones at the end of July 2021. The mudslides are a result of the Grizzly Creek Fire, which burned up and down the canyon walls in 2020. Motorists should use COtrip.org or CDOT's free COtrip Planner mobile app to plan an alternate route. The northern alternate route on US Highway 40 is recommended for most motorists.
The northern alternate route will require approximately 2.5 hours additional travel time to reach your destination, compared to traveling on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon. Westbound motorists from the Denver metro area can reach the northern route via US Highway 40, Colorado Highway 9 or Colorado Highway 131. (When detouring north onto CO 9, motorists should anticipate construction at exit 205 in Silverthorne.) Travelers can then continue west on US Highway 40 and then south on CO 13 to complete the alternate route and return to westbound I-70 at Rifle (exit 90). For eastbound I-70 motorists, a traffic control point is in place at eastbound West Rifle (exit 87) to guide motorists to the northern alternate route. Motorists continue to have access to Glenwood Springs and the Roaring Fork Valley.
By traveling on the recommended alternate route, motorists can avoid major delays caused by rough roads and other hazards. Before detouring onto any alternate route, motorists should refer to www.cotrip.org for the latest road conditions. Motorists should monitor weather alerts to see when the Flash Flood Warning ends. The safety closure will continue to be in place until the Flash Flood Warning is lifted. The closure may stay in effect if weather conditions are unpredictable or if flash floods occur.