Berthoud Pass will be closed until at least 11 p.m. after a fuel tanker overturned and spilled more than 4,000 gallons of gasoline this afternoon.
The driver escaped uninjured, according to authorities. Though conditions were snowy in the area, the roadways were easily passable at the time of the crash, about 12:30 p.m., they said.
The cause is under investigation and no determination about charges, if any, has been made, said Trooper Ryan Sullivan, a spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol.
Hazardous material crews have contained and are in the process of cleaning up the spill, said Mindy Crane, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Berthoud Pass is the stretch of U.S. 40 that crosses the Continental Divide from Clear Creek to Grand counties. The curvy high-altitude pass serves as the most direct route from the metro area to Winter Park.
