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Big delays expected on the I-70 Corridor

Posted at 4:20 PM, Nov 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-21 18:20:28-05

COLORADO – Colorado drivers are being reminded that they should expect heavier traffic along the I-70 mountain corridor for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Volume is expected to be heavy through the day. Last year, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, a total of more than 44-thousand vehicles passed westbound through the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnels. It may be heavy again on Thanksgiving day morning.

Thanksgiving weekend generally means big business for the ski resorts and traffic will stay heavier than normal in both directions for the next few days. If you plan on coming back out of the high country on Saturday or Sunday, the traffic is expected to be very heavy with very long delays.

You can always use the I-70 Mountain Express lanes, but there is a fee for that. The lane runs roughly 13-miles from Empire (Hwy 40) on down to the Veterans Tunnels in Idaho Springs. If you have a transponder, it can be used on the I-70 express lanes. If you don’t, there’s no toll booth to stop at and you’ll be billed by mail. If they bill you based on your license plate, there is an additional for it.

How are toll prices determined?
• The Express Lane will use a responsive pricing system in which tolls can change in price depending on
the number of vehicles traveling in the corridor.
• As traffic increases, the toll price will increase to help keep travelers moving on the Express Lane.
• Travelers will be charged the toll price posted when they entered the Express Lane. If the price
should increase or decrease while they are in the lane, drivers will pay the price posted upon entry.
• Overhead Variable Message Signs are updated on the highway in real-time and show exactly what the
toll rate is at that time, so the driver can know exactly how much they’ll be charged.

Mountain Express Lane fees for the I-70 corridor.