I-70 closure in Glenwood Canyon may last weeks; state to declare disaster (Denver: home, inspectors)

[Vision67]

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/08/0...tion-colorado/

"Colorado Gov. Jared Polis soon will issue a state disaster declaration for the mudslides that have shut down Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon for an extended period — which he said could be anywhere from “a few days to a few weeks.”

State officials also plan to seek federal money and resources as crews respond to repeated debris flows set loose in the last week by monsoon rains over portions of the Grizzly Creek fire burn scar. Polis said 4 inches of rain fell in the canyon in five days; that’s nearly double the average monthly rainfall total for July.

“We have to make it through this monsoon season — once the freeze hits, it’s less likely to be a dire situation,” Polis said. “But we are still not out of this yet. We need to watch this closely for the next few weeks, and it could get worse.”


Look at the photos in the link.

I think this will become a very expensive problem to fix permanently. There are huge debris fields above Glenwood Canyon. It will take a very long time for vegetation to recover to a level that will secure the soil.

[Vision67]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEUhZts__Gg

[Westerner92]

To be honest, I've resented that they put I-70 down Glenwood Canyon since the first time I drove down it. It's a natural wonder, not a thoroughfare, and this is the inevitable result of destabilizing an already geologically active area. That canyon was carved by mudslides like this. I'm basically convinced they only put it down there because US 6 and the railroad already being there made environmental clearances with the feds easier. I don't think they ever gave proper consideration to a route that put it on the tablelands to the south. I was partly mentored by a man who was one of the main inspectors on the Glenwood Canyon viaduct, and I asked him about that. He said that snow removal, in addition to the difficulty of getting clearance to cut a new alignment, was probably the driving factor in putting the interstate down there. With nearly 30 years of hindsight, I really wonder if the pros outweigh the cons.

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

To be honest, I've resented that they put I-70 down Glenwood Canyon since the first time I drove down it. It's a natural wonder, not a thoroughfare, and this is the inevitable result of destabilizing an already geologically active area. That canyon was carved by mudslides like this. I'm basically convinced they only put it down there because US 6 and the railroad already being there made environmental clearances with the feds easier. I don't think they ever gave proper consideration to a route that put it on the tablelands to the south. I was partly mentored by a man who was one of the main inspectors on the Glenwood Canyon viaduct, and I asked him about that. He said that snow removal, in addition to the difficulty of getting clearance to cut a new alignment, was probably the driving factor in putting the interstate down there. With nearly 30 years of hindsight, I really wonder if the pros outweigh the cons.

I agree with you. As I recall, the interstate through Glenwood Canyon was one of the final segments of the Interstate system built. It was also very expensive.

However, I've admired its beauty every time I've driven through.

I just wonder if it's truly fixable in this new era of abrupt climate change.

[xeric]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

To be honest, I've resented that they put I-70 down Glenwood Canyon since the first time I drove down it. It's a natural wonder, not a thoroughfare, and this is the inevitable result of destabilizing an already geologically active area. That canyon was carved by mudslides like this. I'm basically convinced they only put it down there because US 6 and the railroad already being there made environmental clearances with the feds easier. I don't think they ever gave proper consideration to a route that put it on the tablelands to the south. I was partly mentored by a man who was one of the main inspectors on the Glenwood Canyon viaduct, and I asked him about that. He said that snow removal, in addition to the difficulty of getting clearance to cut a new alignment, was probably the driving factor in putting the interstate down there. With nearly 30 years of hindsight, I really wonder if the pros outweigh the cons.

Agreed. It’s a terrible site for an interstate. When I hear that Glenwood Canyon is closed I generally think “what else is new.”

[COcheesehead]

There was a road through the canyon long before it was the interstate.

[DOUBLE H]

I've spent a few weeks in the Denver area for surgery and PT, Just got back home day before yesterday. Just a heads up here--by leaving early in the morning if you're traveling west out of Denver be prepared to see extra coverage on Colo.9 and U.S. 40 from Silverthorne to Craig. Traveling west the traffic was pretty light and traffic coming east was busy. People will have to get used to a 2 lane road for the next 200 plus miles. And law enforcement will be increased the closer we get to Labor Day weekend. Steamboat Springs is generally pretty busy in the summer and they were packed when I went through around noon.

[Colorado Rambler]

While I realize that Highway 50 may not be the best route for a triple semi truck, it's not bad for passenger vehicles and pick-up trucks. Yeah, you have to go over Monarch Pass, but it IS still summer. Why aren't more people using Highway 50 as an alternate?

[SGMI]

The geology of mountain passes is inherently complex and susceptible to weak zones. There were similar debates about I-40 through North Carolina, but the pressure to get it built was very strong and the doubts of engineers overruled. Every few years there is a rockslide, commonly after a tropical storm comes up from the Gulf of Mexico and crosses the mountains.

[brk330]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

I've spent a few weeks in the Denver area for surgery and PT, Just got back home day before yesterday. Just a heads up here--by leaving early in the morning if you're traveling west out of Denver be prepared to see extra coverage on Colo.9 and U.S. 40 from Silverthorne to Craig. Traveling west the traffic was pretty light and traffic coming east was busy. People will have to get used to a 2 lane road for the next 200 plus miles. And law enforcement will be increased the closer we get to Labor Day weekend. Steamboat Springs is generally pretty busy in the summer and they were packed when I went through around noon.

I can only imagine the road rage and unsafe passes that are going to happen.
The commuter traffic from Craig to Steamboat was already miserable, and then the tourists in Steamboat, yuck.
And they have talked about a bypass for Steamboat for years to avoid the 13th st bottleneck, but of course they want tourist driving through.