Say you’re chilling at Breckenridge after an epic day of riding deep powder. You’ve got the glow. Next thing you know, you’re stuck in the parking lot that is Interstate 70 back to Denver.
Bummer.
No wonder we’re intrigued by the relatively easy fix being considered by the Colorado Department of Transportation and pursued by lawmakers under the gold dome. While the measure needs further study to ensure it is feasible, it seems like a powerful temporary answer to congestion while officials continue to search for long-term solutions.
The idea is to uncork infamous bottlenecks that plague I-70 between the Eisenhower tunnels and Floyd Hill. For example, by diverting eastbound traffic in the evening onto one of the westbound lanes for roughly 15 miles or longer, it is possible that CDOT could greatly reduce the wintertime delays.
We like the simplicity and symmetry of the notion. How many times have skiers, snowboarders and other mountain enthusiasts sat in gridlock watching the trickle of drivers headed west at that late hour?
By erecting a temporary barrier between the two westbound lanes just before Georgetown for roughly 15 miles to the Central City Parkway, the thinking goes, CDOT could transform existing infrastructure to help absorb the confluence of traffic from the resorts in Pitkin, Eagle and Summit counties merging with traffic entering the interstate from slopes in Clear Creek, Grand and Routt counties.
A bill sponsored by Sens. Dan Gibbs and Chris Romer would authorize CDOT to roll out temporary flexible concrete barriers for three to four hours during peak ski season hours on Saturday and Sunday.
CDOT doesn’t need that authority and already is considering using such technology to also alleviate some of the congestion heading west on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Similar lanes are in place during morning and evening rush hours on Boston’s Southeast Expressway. Utah also has used the barriers to good reviews at construction projects.
But CDOT and officials in Clear Creek County, which would host the 15-mile segment, rightly worry about several possible flaws in the plan. The rather obvious problem is that the mountainous area on I-70 isn’t analogous to the roadways in Massachusetts or even Utah that have used the temporary barriers.
Interstate 70 presents unique challenges, from snowstorms to rock slides, from avalanches to big rigs too weak to chug up the hill beyond little more than a crawl. Should its engineers find the so-called “zipper lanes” to be a suitable solution, CDOT has the authority to implement the changes.
We would be opposed to any attempt by the General Assembly to mandate the stop-gap fix before CDOT has time to finish its ongoing modeling and study of such a project. A nudge by lawmakers is preferrable, at this point, to a mandate.
The bill was introduced late Monday afternoon, and it wasn’t immediately clear whether it would require CDOT to begin the service or pursue further study. (Neither lawmaker had yet to consult with CDOT.)
A conversation about easing congestion on I-70 at those critical times is needed, and we think CDOT should give the “zipper lanes” full consideration.
