Snow, slide-offs cause traffic headache in mountains

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. – Snowy roads and low visibility led to the closure of Interstate 70 in both directions near the Eisenhower Tunnel Tuesday afternoon.

The Colorado Department of Transportation shut down eastbound I-70 at Silverthorne and closed the westbound lanes at the Eisenhower Tunnel around 3 p.m.

The westbound lanes opened again just before 4 p.m. and the eastbound lanes reopened at 4:40 p.m. Traction and chain laws were in place along the mountain corridor of I-70.

CDOT said that there were multiple slide-offs west of the tunnel amid a late-March snow storm that is expected to dump at least a half-foot of snow in the mountains into Wednesday.

CDOT did not give an estimated time that the interstate would reopen. Denver7 will update this story as road conditions change.

The traction law is also in place along I-70 from Vail to Copper Mountain, meaning semis are required to use chains, as are two-wheel-drive passenger vehicles that don't have snow or mud/snow tires.

For the latest Denver-area traffic conditions, click here. For statewide road conditions, click here.