Delays inevitable heading to and from mountains during Labor Day weekend

GEORGETOWN, Colo. -- Travelers heading to and from Colorado's high country on Interstate 70 this Labor Day weekend should expect heavy traffic and delays, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

 

CDOT will likely be implementing what’s known as "safety metering” during the holiday weekend. CDOT will use traffic lights at the entrances of the Eisenhower/Johnson Tunnels to start and stop traffic. It’s a way to make sure there are no backups.

 

“Safety metering is one of those things that the public sees, and they don’t necessarily love,” said CDOT spokeswoman Amy Ford.

 

With an estimated 35,000 to 45,000 cars passing through the tunnel over the holiday weekend, safety metering may be inevitable.

 

“We can’t have stop and go traffic in the tunnel period,” said Ford.  “We need to be able to allow safety vehicles and others to get through there and they can’t if it’s chalk full of cars.”

 

You could face delays ranging from 45 minutes to an hour as you drive home toward Denver. The express lanes are helping but in the end, this is a side effect of success.

 

“The economy has gotten better. More and more people are going to the mountains. You saw record ski years. You’re seeing record years moving here into the spring and into the summer,” said Ford.

 

Denver7 asked, with more safety metering taking place, is there an ideal time to plan your return home? CDOT says the answer is no. It’s an all day issue, so allow for some extra drive time.