The eastbound lanes of I-70 in Glenwood Canyon were closed for nearly 12 hours on Tuesday after a major semi truck crash injured its driver and blocked the roadway. A single eastbound lane reopened shortly after 9 p.m., according to the Colorado Department of Transportation's COTrip.org. As of Wednesday, one lane was still closed near the crash site due to debris on the road.
Another closure is planned Thursday beginning at 11 a.m. for clean-up, according to a Facebook post from CDOT. The closure is expected to last at least three hours. It was previously planned for Wednesday, but the effort was postponed due to a rockslide on Highway 40 west of Steamboat Springs. The rockfall blocked part of the official northern detour around Glenwood Canyon closures; travelers in Routt County were redirected onto county roads.
The crash occurred around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to CDOT. The truck was traveling in the westbound lanes and drove through the guardrail, landing on the lanes of the lower eastbound deck and prompting a closure in both directions.
According to the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District, the driver was trapped and unconscious — and would have remained so for longer if onlookers hadn’t stepped in to help. The district’s division chief of operations witnessed the accident, and with the help of four bystanders, they were able to extricate the driver and begin medical care immediately.
"In emergency situations like this, it’s vital to remember that acting quickly, safely, and working together can save lives," the district wrote in a Facebook post. "If you witness an accident, ensure you call 911 first, and only assist if it’s safe to do so. Your actions could make all the difference."
Westbound lanes reopened about two hours after the crash, with reduced speed limits in place and some traffic impacts.
Meanwhile, drivers heading eastbound were required to seek an alternate route. The northern detour could add several hours of drive time, accessed through Rifle, Craig and Steamboat before reconnecting to I-70 in Silverthorne.
Independence Pass, accessed via Aspen, served as an alternate route for passenger cars; travelers encountered extra traffic on the road during the I-70 closure. No vehicles over 35 feet in length are permitted on the pass.
This story was last updated around 10 a.m. Thursday. Additional travel information is available at cotrip.org.
