Interstate 70 reopened Wednesday after large mudslides forced the highway's closure in western Colorado on Monday, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The Garfield County closure stretched from Silt (Mile Point 97) to New Castle (Mile Point 105). One lane in each direction remains closed as of 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The highway became impassable Monday night around 7 p.m. after "torrential rain and hail flooded the area, pushing mud, logs, and rocks across the roadway," according to a previous release from CDOT.
“A very quick, very heavy rain and hail storm brought a lot of moisture and the dry ground was not able to absorb, which caused massive flooding and piles of debris to overwhelm the drainage system in this area,” Jason Smith, CDOT's regional transportation director, said in the release.
