VAIL, Colo. (AP) — Officials with the Colorado Department of Transportation say the recently opened express lane on Interstate 70 from Empire to Idaho Springs has helped ease traffic.
The Vail Daily newspaper reports (http://bit.ly/1S0oeC2 ) that the tolled express lane opens 73 days per year during times of high volume traffic such as weekdays and holidays. Officials say the lane has helped people get from the Front Range to Denver faster, with more consistent speeds.
The lane has only closed due to inclement weather once on Dec. 12, its first day. CDOT spokeswoman Megan Castle says safety comes first and the lane can’t be open without plowing first.
Castle says Jan. 2 had record-setting traffic and a high number of accidents, but the express lane made it possible to keep traffic flowing.
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Information from: Vail Daily, http://www.vaildaily.com/
