Rock scaling work ahead of Floyd Hill Project will cause traffic delays on I-70

Remember that big project CDOT announced earlier this year about Floyd Hill and the $700 million expansion? Remember how they were going to kick off construction this summer and therefore, traffic holds everyone in a while?

Yeah, that's right now. 

Rock scaling operations are now active between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Crews will stop traffic both ways along I-70 randomly between those hours for up to 20 minutes at a time, leading to back ups from the base of the hill all the way to Idaho Springs, CBS News Colorado mountain newsroom Reporter Spencer Wilson noticed Wednesday Afternoon.

Construction manager for Floyd Hill with CDOT Jeff Hampton said he can promise if you get stuck in one of the holds, you will not get stuck in a second hold, right in a row. 

"(It's a) very touchy subject...obviously we have put out messaging that we are not going to impact traffic during peak periods, unfortunately rock scaling we have to do at the daytime," Hampton said. "Very dangerous work, we have guys on ropes on the side of the hill, we can't do that work in the middle of the night, we have to give those guys daytime light to be up on that hillside and keep them safe."

He suggested people who can't help but avoid traveling I-70 during those periods of time sign up for alerts, by calling, texting or emailing the following:

Phone:
720-994-2368

Text alerts:
Text 'floydhill' to 21000

Email: 

cdot_floydhillproject@state.co.us

The next step will include blasting parts of the rocks too large to scrape with just a hand tool. Blasting is estimated to start next Monday, but could be pushed back. The times for blasting will be communicated though those channels above.