DENVER — Loveland Pass will shut down for about six hours Saturday as thousands of cyclists ride the Triple Bypass bike tour, state transportation officials said Friday.
Approximately 4,000 cyclists will be riding on US 6 over Loveland Pass, which will require all regular traffic to be stopped at the tunnel entrances between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) officials said in a news release.
State transportation officials said the closure will allow vehicles hauling hazardous materials to be escorted through the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnels at two different times: Those going westbound will be escorted at the top of the hour, while those going eastbound will be escorted at the bottom of the hour.
But the closure at Loveland Pass won’t be the only one.
Westbound Highway 103 will be closed from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Bergen Park to Idaho Springs, while the eastbound side of the highway will be closed from Idaho Springs to Bergen Park from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Local traffic won’t be affected by the closure, CDOT officials said.
Both directions of Alvarado Road will also close between Lawson and the Easter Seals Camp from 6 a.m. to noon. Again, local traffic won’t be affected by the closure.
Lastly, the westbound lanes of Swam Mountain Road will be closed form 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., CDOT officials said.
“Although no closures will be in place, drivers should anticipate additional cyclists on the I-70 frontage roads through Vail and U.S. 6 between Dowd Junction (U.S. 6 & 24 junction – west of Vail) and Avon,” a CDOT spokesperson said.
The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement will be monitoring and assisting with traffic control, state transportation officials said.
“Drivers are reminded to give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing – even if it requires crossing the centerline, if it is safe,” CDOT officials said. “Not providing three feet of space risks a ticket, since it is the law.”
Cyclists also must ride as far right as possible and not impede traffic when passing other riders or riding two abreast, state transportation officials said.
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