No injuries reported in rush hour crash that closed I-70 near Wolcott on Tuesday
Closure lasted nearly three hours, causing headaches for locals commuting home from work
Colorado Department of Transportation/Courtesy photo
No injuries were reported in a crash on Tuesday that occurred on Interstate 70 westbound near Wolcott, but the incident caused the roadway to shut down for nearly three hours, resulting in gridlock on a detour that was set up on Highway 6.
The timing of the crash was not ideal as the roadway was closed during the rush-hour period when locals use the interstate to commute back to the western end of Eagle County from the upvalley locations of Avon and Vail.
Trooper Gabriel Moltrer with Colorado State Patrol said the call came in at 2:46 p.m., and the interstate was closed in the westbound direction shortly thereafter. The accident involved a vehicle with a trailer that had rolled over at mile marker 155, temporarily blocking the roadway.
Colorado State Patrol safety protocols call for response teams to take one lane plus a 12-foot buffer when cleaning up an accident, requiring the full closure of the interstate.
The interstate was closed at mile marker 157 so traffic could be detoured onto Highway 6, Moltrer said.
