Westbound Interstate 70 reopened through Glenwood Canyon early Sunday morning, but all eastbound lanes remain closed because of mudslides.
One westbound lane of I-70 opened for the stretch between Dotsero and Rifle early Sunday morning, but all eastbound lanes in that stretch are expected to stay closed throughout the day, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Drivers can go around the eastbound closure by detouring through Steamboat Springs — turning a normally 45 minute drive on the interstate into an about 4-hour trip — or can wait for the interstate to reopen, although no vehicles will be allowed to wait on the roadway, the agency said.
The interstate was closed Saturday afternoon along the Grizzly Creek burn scar when rain triggered flash floods and five mudslides on the highway. No one was injured.
Some of the slides were as deep as nine feet, and covered hundreds of feet of the roadway.
I-70 Glenwood Canyon UPDATE – (Sun 7/4) – One WB lane is OPEN with a reduced speed limit enforced. EB lanes will remain closed for much of the day. EB travelers are urged to take the northern alt route through Steamboat via CO 131 at Wolcott or CO 9 at Silverthorne. pic.twitter.com/EpEdBXYKF9
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) July 4, 2021
