Don't wait up if family or friends went skiing today
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- Created on Monday, 21 February 2011 22:14
- Written by Dena Rosenberry
Bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel in 2006.
Drivers coming down the mountain Monday wrapping up a holiday weekend should not see new snow along the I-70 corridor, but strong winds and traffic volume may still cause delays, Kieran Nicholson writes at the Denver Post website.
Eastbound traffic through the Eisenhower Tunnel on President's Day, jammed with skiers and families returning from a long weekend, has topped 25,000 vehicles the past two years.
Above-average snow conditions at Colorado resorts this year, and traffic flows heading to the resorts earlier in the weekend, will likely set up a slow drive home for many.
Sunday and holiday return traffic typically picks up "about mid-afternoon and runs through the evening hours," said Gene Towne, a Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman.
Heavy holiday volume could trigger the "metering" of traffic through the tunnel, for safety precautions, and if that takes place, eastbound traffic on the west side of the tunnel could come to a stand still at times for up to 20 minutes.
Weather forecasters expect only intermittent, light snow on either side of the Continental Divide at the tunnel with no measurable accumulations, said Bernie Meier, a meteorologist and spokesman with the National Weather Service.
Drivers who opt for Loveland Pass instead of the tunnel should be prepared for 50 mph winds at the ridge top.
Winds at lower elevations on mountain passes could gust to 30 mph, Meier said.
The I-70 corridor is slushy and wet from Vail Pass to the tunnel Monday afternoon, and dry on the east side of the tunnel, according to CDOT.
Planning and patience among drivers and travelers will be an asset, and it goes a long way in making the drive safer for everyone, said Trooper Nate Reid, a Colorado State Patrol spokesman.
Drivers should "plan ahead and give themselves plenty of time" so they don't panic if delayed on the return, Reid said.
If traffic is extremely slow, drivers can get off the highway in a mountain town and grab a meal or just enjoy the surrounding scenery as a way to avoid anxiety, Reid said. Drivers practicing deep breathing exercises can also help ratchet down slow-moving or stand-still traffic frustrations.
"Just take your time — remember, it's a holiday," Reid said. "Plan for enough time to get home and for everybody to get home safely."
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