Colorado DOT Adds Electronic Closure System to I-70 on Vail Pass

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) installed a new electronic closure system on Interstate 70 through Vail Pass, allowing faster emergency response times.

Officials can now close the mountain roads with a push of a button. The system uses variable message and lane-use signs to alert drivers of closures.

CDOT or Colorado State Patrol workers previously had to physically travel to closure points to shut down the routes. With the electronic system, they can immediately notify motorists before reaching the site.

"Now with this remote closure system, it will tell people that the highway is closed and we'll be able to fill that gap in time, in between when we really want the interstate closed and when we can get someone there to physically staff it," CDOT Engineer John Kronholm told 9 News. "We'll be saving 30 to 45 minutes."

Drivers who ignore the closure signals and proceed through out-of-service roads receive a ticket, similar to if they ran a red light. Motorists can also check Vail Pass I-70 closures and construction updates on IsVailPassOpen.com 

The top of Vail Pass is one of the busiest winter recreation areas in one of the country’s busiest national forests. The I-70 rest stop serves over 500,000 travelers a year.

The new electronic closure system will be operational this winter season, according to CDOT. The update comes as the department wraps up renovations on the Vail Pass rest area.

Other construction projects on multiple I-70 Vail Pass locations will continue through the end of 2026. This includes a new eastbound auxiliary lane with a widened inside shoulder, bridge replacements, relocated bike paths, wildlife underpasses and an avalanche mitigation fence.

Sources: 9 News, IsVailPassOpen.com