Trouble on Colorado I-70

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:21 pm

Expect problems on I-70 through Colorado if you are planning that route.

IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Engineers and geologists were trying to stabilize the side of a mountain Sunday after three rock slides in less than 24 hours spilled onto an interstate.

The slides backed up traffic on Interstate 70 and forced a five-mile shutdown of the state's main east-west highway for several hours.

Officials were able to divert vehicles to a frontage road to get around the area, and the eastbound lanes reopened, but the westbound lanes were expected to stay closed overnight Sunday and it wasn't clear how soon they might reopen.

State Transportation Department spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said there were reports of a few cars sustaining minor damage from running into rocks, but no reports of injuries.

Crews blasted apart the large boulders and move out the debris while the stretch was shut down, and more blasting was early Monday.

The three slides happened about 30 miles west of Denver. Stegman said the spot isn't known to have problems, but heavy rains apparently loosened the rocks. More than 1,500 tons of rock had been cleared by late morning.

"It's kind of a wake-up call to anybody that this can happen any time anywhere," Stegman said.

Pete Brown of Washingtonville, N.Y., had left Denver for a convention in Keystone, 95 miles, away at 11 a.m. Sunday. Four and a half hours later he was at a dead stop on I-70 in Idaho Springs.

"It's almost like a New York City day. I didn't think it was supposed to be like this out here," he said.

Martiansky · Post by **Martiansky** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:44 am

Sheesh...I'm glad I'll be on I-80!
Thanks for the info Geekster!

RegRad · Post by **RegRad** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:50 am

It is best to take another route like I-80 through Wyoming, Utah. Unless
you can place yourself on I - 70 around Silverthorne, Co. (Just West Of The Eisenhower Tunnel)

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:42 am

I-70 has reopened per the Colorado DOT website.

http://www.dot.state.co.us/

Also US-6 over Soldier Summit in Utah is open after crews patched the 35 foot deep explosion crater. The rock slide problems are quite common, the mountain states have the knowledge of how to handle these things and can clear problems pretty quickly especially where interstates are concerned. A case in point would be the rock slide in Glenwood Canyon on I-70 where rocks pierced the concrete deck of the bridges. A realignment of traffic through the canyon was in place within hours and crews worked 24/7 to get the road back open. It was open fairly quickly.

I-80 is not exactly smooth sailing with the construction projects along it either. If coming from the East expect delays at Rock Springs.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:40 am

Also US-6 over Soldier Summit in Utah is open after crews patched the 35 foot deep explosion crater.

Heh, that's nicely understated. You should have seen the local coverage on that semi exploding; the force even took out the Union Pacific rails next to the road. Remarkably, no one was killed or maimed. Makes me glad the only hazmat Larry's ever done was photo paper from Kodak.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:44 am

http://dot.state.wy.us/

WyDot ususally has a terrific site with interstate conditions, Utah's site sucks in comparision.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:47 am

AntiM wrote: Makes me glad the only hazmat Larry's ever done was photo paper from Kodak.

Hey does DOT have a website with all those hazmat codes?

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:50 am

Probably does. I've never looked; larry has a book he has to keep in the truck with him. If I see it, I'll post it fot you.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:57 am

It vaporized the railroad tracks too...the rail through there weighs 135 lbs per yard and from what I've been told it's gone..like leave no trace taken to extremes. It also took out a bunch of communications cables and that's taking much longer to repair. I hear about the cable repair progress 2x per day so I've been following the story closely.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:17 am

AntiM wrote:Probably does. I've never looked; larry has a book he has to keep in the truck with him. If I see it, I'll post it fot you.

Yeah, the mrFishist has had a copy of that book. In case of roadside accident, so he'd know what he was up against. No biggie, more idle curiosity, but still..

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:31 am

Rule of thumb: if it is a semi and it has crashed and has hazmet placards, feel free to run like hell. If it is on fire, make a point of running like ten hells. Most drivers survive the crashes and can get out, and would prefer that "civilians" not risk themselves for their sakes. Really, I've heard this conversation more than once on the cb.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:48 am

I couldn't find a table of hazmat placards, but I did find the government site:

http://hazmat.dot.gov/

Here's a link to a place that sells the placards, easier to look them over than sifting through the government site:

http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/list.asp ... W=2S3COMDT

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:57 am

AntiM wrote:Rule of thumb: if it is a semi and it has crashed and has hazmet placards, feel free to run like hell. If it is on fire, make a point of running like ten hells. Most drivers survive the crashes and can get out, and would prefer that "civilians" not risk themselves for their sakes.

I"m not sure that the mrFishist counts as a civilian (EMT). and I certainly wasn't endorsing that anyone try to get close. Something else to be wary of. UPS trucks can carry hazmats without placards, so don't take silly risks with them either...