Heavy traffic impacts on I-70 expected this weekend for leaf peeping

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Colorado Department of Transportation is expecting heavy traffic impacts along the I-70 mountain corridor.

Drivers should prepare for delays between the Denver metro area and Silverthorne.

Heavy traffic is expected to pick up from the Denver metro area to the mountains going westbound on I-70 beginning Friday afternoon through early Saturday afternoon, with the heaviest impacts occurring when travelers return to the metro area on eastbound I-70 on Sunday.

This time last year, nearly 3,000 vehicles an hour traveled on eastbound I-70 through the Eisenhower Johnson memorial tunnel by 11 am on Sunday.

CDOT will meter traffic entering the tunnel to keep it free flowing for safety reasons. CDOT estimated heavy traffic to double the travel time from Silverthorne to Denver from an hour to two hours.

The traffic is attributed to the aspen leaves changing color. Every year when the leaves begin to change color, Coloradans and tourists flock to see the color change.

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