The National Weather Service is calling for a chance of snow in the Denver area for this evening’s commute — and perhaps a repeat of snow for the Tuesday morning commute as well.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is monitoring the weather and plows are ready for heavy, light or no snow at all.
While crews prepare for adverse weather, drivers should also be prepared to slow down during this afternoon’s commute.
“Speed limits are designed for perfect, dry conditions,” Stacey Stegman, spokeswoman for CDOT, said this morning. “Any time the roads are wet people should slow down.”
This afternoon, Interstate 70 westbound was closed for less than an hour to clear debris from an earlier traffic accident near the Eisenhower Tunnel. Westbound traffic was routed over Loveland Pass as crews cleared the highway of wreckage.
Denver Public Works has its entire fleet — 68 plows — ready to apply de-icer as moisture moves into the area, according to spokeswoman Christine Downs.
“We do have crews out and ready to go if it does start to accumulate,” Downs said.
Crews are less concerned about accumulation tonight, and more concerned about icy roads during the Tuesday morning commute.
Freezing temperatures could turn wet highways into hazardous roadways by early tomorrow morning.
Dense fog and a freezing drizzle caused delays for some commuters this morning.
“People are still going too fast,” Trooper Nate Reid, spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, said this morning.
While no major injury accidents were reported, several cars slid off roadways, and some even rolled after losing traction. Most of the crashes were removed from the road before the afternoon drive.
Multiple crashes caused heavy delays this morning on I-25 in Adams, Douglas and El Paso counties, and along I-70 east of downtown Denver.
Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com
