Colorado skiing: Catch a free ride to the slopes Dec. 15

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Bob Berwyn
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The Front Range Ski Bus at Keystone Resort. Photo courtesy FRSB.

Local bus company offering a free demo day; season bus passes, four-packs and discounted ski tix also available

SUMMIT COUNTY — Who say’s there’s no free ride?

To celebrate the start of full winter operations, Front Range Ski Bus is running a free bus from Denver up to A-Basin, Keystone, Loveland and Copper next weekend, right after what looks to be one of the first real snowy and wintry weeks of the season.

The bus has already been running on a limited schedule and will start operating four days per week (Thursday – Sunday) on Dec. 14, with basic round trip tickets for $35, down from $39 last year.

“Riding the bus up to the slopes is a great way to make new ski and snowboard friends before you even get to the slopes,” said  said chief marketing officer Martin Beran, who frequently rides the bus to ride up at A-Basin. “It’s a relaxing way to get up to the mountains.” he said. “This day is a great way for Denver residents to try out Denver’s best ski bus service without spending a dime.” (more…)

Filed under: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, Copper Mountain, I-70, Keystone, recreation, skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, transportation | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado Mountain Express says it’s happy with propane-fueled vans, may add more alt-fuel vehicles to mountain fleet

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Colorado Mountain Express says happy with tests of propane autogas-fueled vans. Photo courtesy CME.

Lower costs and reduced emissions help drive shift to gas-fueled passenger vehicles

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — If you’ve taken a ride to or from DIA recently in a Colorado Mountain Express van, there’s a chance you were aboard one of the four vehicles powered by propane, a relatively clean-burning fossil fuel that generates less greenhouse gas emissions.

CME, which operates about 200 vans in Colorado, has been testing the propane-powered vans recently and may add more of the vehicles to its fleet, especially if the refueling infrastructure grows in coming years, according to marketing and sales director John Dawsey. (more…)

Filed under: air quality, business, Colorado, energy, Environment, I-70, Technology, tourism, transportation | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: I-70 repairs will require single-lane closures

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Work to take place Sunday-Thursday nights through October

Colorado travelers can expect some lane closures along I-70 the next few weeks as CDOT repairs the road surface.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Road and bridge work along I-70 will require overnight lanes closures between Vail Pass and Chief Hosa the next few weeks, with scheduled for completion in November. Crews will be crack sealing, as well as paving a two-mile segment through Idaho Springs.

Drivers can expect single lane closures on eastbound or westbound I-70, Sunday through Thursday nights, as follows:

  • Eastbound between Vail Pass and Silverthorne – 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Eastbound through Idaho Springs – 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Westbound through Idaho Springs – 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The speed limit is reduced to 45 mph through the work zone. Lane closures are a maximum of two miles long and work can alternate between eastbound and westbound I-70, depending on how the project is progressing. Traffic slowing is possible due to the single lane configurations.

“Crack sealing is a preemptive strike against road deterioration because it extends the lifespan of the highway – both the surface and sub-surface,” said CDOT resident engineer Russel Cox.  “It prevents pot holes from developing and that’s a safety enhancement as well. We see it as a lower cost treatment in the short-term that saves money in the long-term.”

A-1 Chipseal Co. of Denver, CO. is the contractor for the $1.6 million project.

Additional information is available by calling the project hotline at 970-344-4664.

Updated information regarding traffic impacts on this or other CDOT projects is available at www.cotrip.org or by calling 511.  To receive project updates via e-mail, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner. The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including I-70 West, Denver to Glenwood Springs.

Filed under: Colorado, I-70, transportation, Travel | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

CDOT launches smart phone app for I-70

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A map page on the smart phone I-70 app shows your exact location along the corridor.

Travel times, delays and more info aims to ease the ski-traffic crunch

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — Stakeholders along the I-70 corridor are hoping to ease ski traffic with a combination of measures, including better communication with travelers, and a new smart phone app could be one piece of that puzzle.

The Colorado Department of Transportation says the new CDOT Mobile app  will make critical information such as highway conditions and traffic information more accessible, dynamic and interactive.

CDOT Mobile will enable users to make better decisions about travel mode and route, resulting in a more productive, safe and efficient transportation system. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, I-70, tourism, transportation, Travel | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: Highway lynx crossings documented

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Study tracks north-south movement with more than 10 years of data

“Due to the poor precision of telemetry location estimates and the amount of time elapsed between locations, the straight line movement paths depicted in this analysis DO NOT represent exact or even approximate locations where lynx crossed I-70.” ~ Colorado Parks and Wildlife

(more…)

Filed under: biodiversity, Colorado, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State Parks, endangered species, Environment, I-70, Summit County Colorado, transportation | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Colorado: Hazard tree removal along major highways

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Roadside logging is under way in the Colorado high country, as the Forest Service partners with CDOT to remove hazard trees along key highways.

Logging to continue into autumn

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Travelers in the Colorado high country may encounter a few delays and lane closures as the Forest Service and CDOT partner to clear beetle-killed trees from along major highways.

“Ensuring these major transportation corridors are clear of dead trees is certainly critical to keeping people safe and traffic flowing,” said Cal Wettstein, Rocky Mountain region incident commander for the Forest Service.

Work has already started along I-70 in Summit County and motorists can expect to see more tree removal along US Highway 40 over Berthoud Pass and State Hwy. 125. The dead trees pose a threat to public safety as they weaken over time and may fall without warning along these popular transportation routes. (more…)

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Colorado: Getting serious about high speed transit

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

More than 150 companies have shown interest in the I-70 corridor.

CDOT to gather technical info on potential advanced guideway system for I-70 mountain corridor

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY —As part of a $1.8 million high-speed transit feasibility study, the Colorado Department of Transportation will take a close look at private-sector information on high-speed transit technologies.

The goal is try and determine if there’s a technology to run a high-speed train or some other form of transit from the Front Range to the mountains, and if those technologies can meet  specific performance and operational criteria for an I-70 transit system running between C-470 in Jefferson County and the Eagle County Regional Airport.

“This study is making a critical determination about the potential role a high-speed transit system will play in solving the transportation congestion and safety challenges on the I-70 mountain corridor,” said CDOT’s Mark Imhoff,. “The study will collaborate with high-speed transit technology providers and the financial industry to identify feasible technologies, routes, station locations and funding approaches.” (more…)

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Colorado: Input sought on I-70 Twin Tunnels plan

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Public meeting set for July 25 in Idaho Springs

Straightening some of the tight turns along I-70 east of the Twin Tunnels should improve traffic flow and safety.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — As the Colorado Department of Transportation forges ahead with a plan to add a new eastbound bore to the Twin Tunnels along I-70, the agency wants some public comment.

In addition to commenting online, residents and I-70 travelers are invited to a July 25 public meeting in Idaho Springs to get an informational update from CDOT experts and to offer comments in person. The meeting is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Clear Creek County School District Office, 320 State Highway 103.

The Twin Tunnel improvements are the first step in a far-reaching plan to ease congestion and improve safety along the I-70 corridor. With limited funds, CDOT is looking to make changes where they’ll do the most good. The improvements could be done in time for the 2013-2014 ski season. (more…)

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Colorado: Twin Tunnels survey work will require short I-70 closures, as CDOT prepares for highway improvements

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

CDOT will close I-70 next week for short periods to survey the Twin Tunnels area for future highway improvements. Photo courtesy CDOT.

New tunnel bore planned to ease eastbound traffic

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Athletes may have popularized the “no pain, no gain” motto, but the same might hold true for improvements along the I-70 corridor, where preliminary work on adding new eastbound capacity to the Twin Tunnels area will result in some short closures of the highway in both directions.

The Colorado Department of Transportation is surveying the hillside above the tunnels to prepare for drilling a new bore, and that work could dislodge rocks and send them tumbling down on to the road.

The 20-minute closures are set for July 25 and 25 at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and again on July 26 and 27 at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Eastbound traffic will be stopped at West Idaho Springs – Exit 239; westbound traffic at the top of Floyd Hill – Exit 247.

If the work is not completed next week, another day of analysis will be scheduled for Monday, July 30, with stop times in next week’s traffic advisory.

The closures are necessary to maintain the safety of the traveling public since crews will be surveying numerous areas above I-70.

“Traffic can’t be allowed through the area during those times since it’s possible for rocks to be dislodged and come down onto the highway while the crews are traversing the slopes above,” said CDOT’s  I-70 Mountain Corridor Manager Jim Bemelen. “We understand it’s an inconvenience for travelers but safety is our first priority. The surveying needs to be completed before we can move forward and begin reconstructing the eastbound bore.”

Upon approval of the Twin Tunnels Environmental Assessment, CDOT will add one eastbound lane to I-70 from the East Idaho Springs Interchange to U.S. 6, including expanding the eastbound tunnel to accommodate three lanes.

I-70 lane closures continue for the next several weeks, not including weekends and holidays.

To receive project updates via e-mail, visit http://www.coloradodot.info and click on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner. The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including I-70 West, Denver to Glenwood Springs. Updates also are available via Twitter @coloradodot and be sure to “Like” our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/coloradodot.

Filed under: Colorado, I-70, Summit County Colorado, transportation | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: ‘Sinkhole’ blocks one lane of eastbound I-70

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

CDOT hopes to repair highway in time for weekend traffic

A sinkhole has closed one lane of eastbound I-70 east of the Twin Tunnels.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado Department of Transportation officials said a couple of weakening mine shafts beneath I-70 may have caused a 15-foot hole to open up in the left lane of the highway, just east of the Twin Tunnels.

The left lane of the highway will remain closed while crews work to repair the hole, estimated to be about 14 feet wide. Traffic will be rerouted to the shoulder to allow for two lanes of eastbound traffic.

Biggest pothole ever? CDOT offiicals said mines beneath I-70 may have caused this damage to the highway, in the left lane of eastbound I-70. Photo courtesy CDOT.

No injuries or damage to vehicles was reported, CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson said.

Traffic will be channeled into one lane during the night to enable CDOT crews to begin fulls-cale repairs. Wilson said the lane could be back in full operation by Friday July 20) afternoon.

Get highway updates by calling 511 or via email by visiting www.coloradodot.info and clicking on the cell-phone icon in the upper right-hand corner. The link takes you to a list of items you can subscribe to, including I-70 West, Denver to Glenwood Springs. Updates also are available via Twitter @coloradodot.

Filed under: Colorado, I-70, transportation | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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