Rock scaling on Floyd Hill west of Denver metro area to start Wednesday; CDOT warns motorists to expect delays

Rock scaling on the west section of Floyd Hill near Idaho Springs is expected to begin on Wednesday. The Colorado Department of Transportation is warning people who use Interstate 70 about traffic holds as crews work to identify and remove loose rocks from the sides of the highway.

Traffic holds will occur Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDOT says motorists should expect six 20-minute traffic holds every 60 to 75 minutes per day between those hours, and it could cause delays of about 45 minutes.

Westbound I-70 traffic will be held east of the Hidden Valley interchange (Exit 243) and eastbound traffic will be held west of the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. County Road 314 and Central City Parkway will remain open.

Once rock scaling is complete, rock blasting will begin and is expected to occur through 2026.

"These operations are required to rebuild and replace bridges over Clear Creek and straighten I-70 curves to improve safety and sight distance," CDOT said in a statement.

Those who want updates on traffic impacts can text "floydhill" to 21000.