CDOT warns of early morning sun glare closures on eastbound I-70 near Floyd Hill through February
The Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol make decisions on whether to close I-70 due to sun glare on a daily, case-by-case basis
Retired Sgt. Major Don Enloe/Colorado State Patrol
Early morning drivers headed eastbound on Interstate 70 near Floyd Hill should prepare for sun glare safety closures starting this month, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
On bright mornings through February, eastbound I-70 at Floyd Hill will be subject to closure from sunrise at about 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. due to sun glare that makes driving unsafe, CDOT said in a news release. The first closure will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 29, as a preparatory traffic hold, ahead of the official start of the closure period on Nov. 1.
The decision to close I-70 due to sun glare is made on a daily, case-by-case basis, through collaboration with Colorado State Patrol and CDOT personnel stationed near Floyd Hill, the release states.
If a sun glare safety closure is in place along eastbound I-70, traffic will be rerouted onto U.S. Highway 6 at Exit 244, according to CDOT. Drivers can stay on U.S. 6 through the Clear Creek Canyon or take the eastbound I-70 frontage road, U.S. Highway 40, to get back on I-70 near Exit 248 to Beaver Brook.
Drivers who travel eastbound I-70 in the early morning hours during the winter months should pay close attention to the overhead message boards just east of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels for the latest information on sun glares. Drivers can also check travel alerts at COTrip.org.
The sun angle can create blinding glare that can be dangerous for drivers, especially when combined with factors in the mountain corridor, such as leftover moisture on the roadway from storms that can significantly magnify the glare, challenging terrain and sharp turns and unforeseen obstacles like wildlife.
