Industry News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkba3PLT5eI
It’s no secret that the traffic on Colorado’s I-70 west of Denver can be horrific. Especially on winter weekends when the entirety of Denver drives back home after skiing the Rockies.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has decided to take steps to fix some of the I-70 traffic horror by creating a single, eastbound toll lane that will extend from Empire to Idaho Springs. This sector is often the most congested, nightmarish part of the east I-70 horror show. Of course, the Eisenhower Tunnel will be excluded from this toll lane.
The toll road will be named the “Eastbound I-70 Peak Period Should Lane” and it will have a dynamic toll rate that will increase as traffic increases.
The cost of the toll lane will range from $5 to $30 per single use.
It will be very interesting to see who pays $30 to zip through this congested area and who doesn’t.
If you’re from the Denver metro area, please chime in and let us know what skipping the eastbound Empire to Idaho Springs I-70 section on a Sunday evening is worth to you.
I-70 Toll Road Info:
- Dynamic toll pricing keeps traffic moving: prices lower to encourage drivers to use the lane and rise as the lane reaches capacity
- Reduces travel time by nearly half from the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnels to the top of Floyd Hill, resulting in an average 30-minute time savings
- Provides drivers with the choice of a new more reliable travel lane
- Avoids overbuilding I-70, by using the shoulder as a third lane, during peak hours
- Enhances recent Twin Tunnels (Veterans Memorial Tunnels) improvements
- Allows for faster speeds in all lanes, thus decreasing overall travel time
Time to head to Wolf…
Hey Miles,
I thought you were going to correct this EAST bound WEST bound thing!!!!!!!
I think there are some confused people out there.
Tom
Hey Tom, thanks for the note. I did make the changes last week to reflect that this toll lane will be for eastbound traffic. Did I miss something?
Seriously, the “horror show” is your reporting. You know that the mountains are WEST of Denver, right?? Well, break out a map, and check out the EASTBOUND exits on I-70 EASTBOUND….as in going back to Denver EASTBOUND on a Sunday night after hitting the mountains all weekend. So I’m just “chiming in” to let you know that NOBODY but NOBODY is going to be using that EASTBOUND lane on a Friday night except the crickets. Make your reporter drive EASTBOUND I-70 from Vail on Sunday at 4PM President’s weekend as a penalty for being so clueless.
David, you’re absolutely right. I got my signals crossed when writing this. Just made the modification. Ha ha, yes, I should have to Eastbound on Sunday evening on a holiday weekend as the penalty. thanks.
Just watched the video, super wide shoulder seems alright
Cool idea if there were 3 lanes, seems like using the shoulder will result in more cars in the ditch on snowy days and night