I-70 reopens after Clear Creek County crash involving 11 vehicles; 1 driver cited, according to Colorado State Patrol
On a busy travel day to Colorado's mountains, a crash involving 11 cars closed all westbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Clear Creek County for hours. It has since reopened but not before a driver was cited and a hazmat team had to clean up spilled diesel fuel.
The Colorado Department of Transportation reported the crash around 10:15 a.m. and traffic cameras show lines of cars and trucks already beginning to back up.
The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said there were multiple injuries, but didn't know the exact number or extent. CDOT said the highway was closed between Exit 232: US 40; Empire Junction and Exit 228: CR 381, Georgetown. It reopened around 1:40 p.m.
The driver of a Ford F350 was cited for careless driving and the Colorado State Patrol said that driver was going too fast for the conditions in the area. That truck had an auxiliary fuel tank that spilled about 80 gallons of diesel fuel when it crashed, requiring specialized crews to clean up the spill, CSP said.
That stretch of I-70 is the primary -- and in some cases, only -- way to get to many of Colorado's popular ski areas. State and local highway and police officials warned drivers to drive safely, especially if heading to or from the mountains to ski on Presidents Day weekend.
Meanwhile, I-70 closed multiple times throughout the day between Vail Pass and closures at Silverthorne up to the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels. Drivers found themselves with no other option but to take Highway 9 through Kremling and then Winter Park, and back over onto I-70 where they again, faced heavy traffic and winter weather conditions.
"I don't know if it is multiple spinouts or what but it's gotten worse for sure," Driver Brian Green said, halfway up to the tunnels. He said he moved away from Colorado a decade ago, and things have only gotten worse on the mountain corridor in his time away.
"We have seen a lot of distracted drivers though,h I will say that," Green said. "Not paying attention, getting too far over in the shoulder, and getting caught up in the sludge."
I-70 has a planned closure of Vail Pass Tuesday starting at 9 a.m. with no estimated time to reopen, so drivers should take that into account before getting on the road.
