TL;DR
Colorado has approved a 10-year, $300 million transportation plan that could make the drive to Vail, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain significantly safer - and eventually faster. The plan targets two critical sections of the I-70 Mountain Corridor, with $77 million earmarked for West Vail Pass alone. Combined with the ongoing Floyd Hill project, it's the most ambitious overhaul of one of North America's busiest ski corridors in recent memory. Here's what's changing and when.
Colorado has approved a $300 million, 10-year plan to overhaul the I-70 Mountain Corridor - the main artery connecting Denver to the state's major ski resorts.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) approved the plan on 21 May, with sign-off from the 11-member Colorado Transportation Commission. It covers more than 250 projects across the state, with a clear focus on fixing roads, improving safety, and reducing the traffic bottlenecks that have frustrated skiers for decades.
What Is the 10 Year Plan?
The plan sits under a broader statewide initiative called "Your Transportation Plan," designed to provide a long-term investment strategy for Colorado's transport network. It was developed with input from local governments, community organisations, and the public - which gives some indication of how politically significant I-70's congestion issues have become.
For anyone who has driven from Denver to Vail on a winter weekend, the problem is self-evident. The trip takes around 90 minutes on a quiet weekday. On a Saturday in peak season, that number can multiply considerably as skiers and snowboarders funnel toward the same resorts along the same highway.
