Heavy snow grinds traffic to a halt on I-70 near Denver leaving motorists stuck for hours
Numerous accidents amid snow-slicked roads resulted in travel headaches for parts of Colorado Wednesday, including one backup on Interstate 70 that left motorists stranded for more than 8 hours.
Dozens of vehicles and semis were stranded on I70 from Denver to Idaho Springs on the morning of Dec. 29. Even tow trucks that were transporting people to safety became stuck.
Road travel was brought to an abrupt halt Wednesday night in Colorado as a winter storm dumped about a foot of snow across the Denver area. The heavy, wet snow was no match for those trying to get home, which left many people stuck on the highway for more than eight hours.
The snow-slicked roads resulted in numerous accidents on roadways across the Denver area. On Interstate 70, drivers were stranded for over eight hours as crews worked tirelessly to clear multiple crashes. Some motorists on I-70 found themselves stuck in the Veterans Memorial Tunnel, just west of Denver, in Idaho Springs.
Among those stranded in the traffic mess was Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby, who documented the hours-long ordeal.
Traffic backed up on parts of Interstate 70, west of Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday evening. Traffic was at a standstill in the Veterans Memorial Tunnel, above, in Idaho Springs. (Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby)
"We're coming back from Beaver Creek to Evergreen, and it's a drive that usually takes two hours, but right now we're going on hour six," Greg, a Colorado resident, told Rigsby in an interview in the tunnel.
A drone video showed the traffic stretching for more than a mile on each side of the tunnel. People could be seen walking their dogs, stretching their legs and wiping their vehicles clean of the accumulating snow while waiting for the traffic to move. Lights inside the tunnel worked for a few hours, but then, right around midnight, the power went out and the tunnel went dark, making for an even more eerie feeling for drivers.
"Well, it is currently almost midnight, and we have all been sitting on I-70 for approximately four and a half hours now," Rigsby shared on video while in his car. "And now, the tunnel power [has] gone out."
Traffic backed up on parts of Interstate 70, west of Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday evening. (Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby)
Now everyone on I-70, whether they were in the tunnel or not, was stuck in the dark. Rigsby said people started falling asleep waiting for the traffic to get moving again. In the 12 years of storms Rigsby said he has covered from Ohio to Colorado, he said he had never been stranded in a traffic backup for that long.
After the delay surpassed eight hours, road crews were finally able to get cars moving again. As the traffic slowly resumed, Rigsby footage showed some cars could still be seen stuck on the side of the highway.
In the immediate Denver area, snowfall totals ranged from 3 to 10 inches. To the west of Denver, closer to Idaho Springs, snowfall totals surpassed a foot. While it isn't the most snow the area has experienced from one weather event, AccuWeather Meteorologist Tony Laubach said the rate at which the snow came down and the weight of the snow is what led to numerous accidents.
"Snow was coming down so heavy, 2-3-inches-per-hour rates, that it was impossible for crews to keep up," Laubach said. "And that heavy, wet snow just latches to vehicle tires, and once you lose that momentum, you're stuck."
Traffic backed up on parts of Interstate 70, west of Denver, on Wednesday evening. (Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby)
Travel delays on other highways, such as Interstate 25, were also reported. Laubach said people had to shovel their cars out of the snow on the highway.
"I-25 on the south side of Denver [was] blocked for a couple of hours last night as vehicles just got stuck trying to get up any type of incline, people were literally out in the middle of the interstate trying to dig their cars out so they could get moving again," said Laubach. "Police SUVs were actually pushing cars to exit ramps to get them out of the highway."
The heaviest of the snow moved out of the Denver area early Thursday morning, but forecasters warn driving conditions will remain difficult as roads are still covered in snow and ice.
A winter storm brought heavy snow to Denver, Colorado, on Dec. 28, quickly deteriorating travel conditions.
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