CDOT’s chief engineer Stephen Harelson told a legislative committee on Aug. How long will repairs take?ĬDOT hopes to have at least one lane in each direction open by the end of this week, though any rain could slow that down. How much will repairs cost?Īn early CDOT estimate put repairs at more than $40 million, plus another $10 million for impacts to detour routes. 11, 2021.įitzwilliams said revegetation is happening faster than he thought, but it’s a long-term process. Beaty/Denverite Charred trees and backhoes on a section of I-70 in Glenwood Canyon that was closed by a mudslide. The lack of organic matter or microbes makes it tough for new plants to take root along the canyon. Fitzwillliams said the Grizzly Creek Fire scorched soil inside Glenwood Canyon into something like wax. How long will it take for the burn scar to recover?įull recovery could take years. It could reveal opportunities to mulch, plant or lay straw bales to help catch debris. “All we would do is create more debris to go down on a slide,” Fitzwillliams said.įitzwilliams said some treatments could work on the flatter ground of the lip of the canyon, which is why he asked for a new Forest Service assessment of the landscape after severe floods this summer. Scott Fitzwilliams, the White River Forest supervisor, said the canyon walls are too steep for those options. After severe fires, some landscapes can benefit from a range of treatments to control erosion, like mulching or reseeding fast-growing grass. There are not many options at the moment. Can anything be done to prevent more mudslides in the future? Beaty/Denverite A mudslide in Glenwood Canyon that closed I-70. CDOT had already closed I-70 a handful of times after the fire in 2020 and again in the summer of 2021 before the big slide on July 29. The flames burned up vegetation that helps soak up water and reduce the amount of runoff that cascades down the slope. The Grizzly Creek Fire burned through the canyon in the summer of 2020. The highway reopened partially in the early hours of Aug. The Colorado Department of Transportation did not initially anticipate an extended closure, but the timeline was soon extended when more storms hit over the next few days and crews and engineers learned the scale of the situation on the ground. We thought we'd answer some questions you may have about the road that is essential to commerce and state residents. State crews worked to clear the debris and make repairs and the road reopened early on Saturday, Aug. Mudslides triggered by heavy rain in the nearby Grizzly Creek burn scar shut the road down. Interstate 70's almost two-week long closure has led to long detours and headaches for towns along the highway that rely on drivers passing through to spend some money while in town. Motorists should plan on Glenwood Canyon being closed through the remainder of the Flash Flood Warning. Some mudflow in the Canyon was also detected. The Flash Flood Warning is in effect through 1 p.m. The Colorado Department of Transportation has closed Interstate 70 in both directions through Glenwood Canyon at mile points 133 (Dotsero) and MP 116 (Glenwood Springs) due to a Flash Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service at 8:10 a.m. Is I-70 Thru Glenwood Canyon Open Right Now? No.
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