Inpendence Pass Closed

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Wentzl
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Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by Wentzl »

Just a heads up to anyone planning on driving over Independence Pass. Closed tonight and no estimate on when it will reopen:

https://kdvr.com/news/local/independenc ... p-efforts/
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Ivar
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by Ivar »

There is more to the story. I just drove back to Denver area from Aspen a few hours ago, after doing Castle and Conundrum today. At 1pm in Aspen, Apple and Google maps and cotrip.org said 82 over Independence pass was closed, but we drove right over no problem. It appears they announced it is closed in order to keep 35' and over trucks off it. But, it is open to local traffic. Check cotrip.org for the latest - they've changed their message.
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Wentzl
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by Wentzl »

Ha! I am once again the victim of FAKE NEWS!

Believe what they tell you at your peril.
Shorter of Breath and One Day Closer . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZXKgl8turY

"Social Justice" = Injustice
rperth
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by rperth »

Wentzl wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 8:20 pm Ha! I am once again the victim of FAKE NEWS!

Believe what they tell you at your peril.
Ha! “Victim”.
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summitrunner
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by summitrunner »

Google Maps told me it was closed yesterday morning, too. I called the Pitkin County Sheriff. They said it was open. CDOT has checkpoints on both sides of the pass and were setting up traffic lights at the narrow sections as I drove through.

The pass was fine to drive. The traffic issues I ran into were southwest of Leadville due to paving and coming back into Aspen near the airport. The traffic snarls up as you approach Aspen from the airport side.
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CORed
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by CORed »

From this news article
UPDATE: A Facebook post made round 5 PM by the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office stated that Independence Pass is no longer showing as open on cotrip.org, Google Maps, and Apple Maps as a means of preventing I-70 traffic from using the route as a detour. According to authorities, the highway is open to local traffic.
I kind of understand why CODOT is doing this, but I really dislike a government agency lying to the public. Independence Pass is definitely unsuitable (and illegal) for semi trucks, and marginal for even smaller RV's or really any kind of trailer. It is also simply not capable of sustaining high volume traffic. There are a number of back roads that provide a shorter (in mileage if not time) alternate route to the official CO 13, US 40, CO 9 detour. These range from gravel roads suitable (in good weather, anyway) for passenger cars to 4wd routes. I won't specifically name them. They will clog up quickly if too many people try them. If you know these routes, try them at your own risk. They may save you some time, or they may get you stuck in an endless traffic jam, depending on how many other people have the same idea as you do. I think CDOT is trying to keep the general I-70 traffic off these routes and off of Independence Pass and leave them for local commuters.

I will mention that there are two viable alternate routes, involving two lane highways suitable for all vehicles, to return to I-70 from highway 40. I'm a bit baffled that CODOT is not promoting these, as it would relieve some of the traffic on Highway 40 and Highway 9 east of Steamboat Springs(though all traffic would still be using Highway 13 from Rifle to Craig and US 40 from Craig to Steamboat Springs). These are CO 131 from Steamboat Springs to Wolcott, and remaining on US 40 over Berthoud Pass. If the Glenwood Canyon closure persists into winter, which at this point seems to be a possibility, 131 would likely be the best route, as it avoids Rabbit Ears Pass, which can get some truly nasty conditions in the winter (as can Berthoud Pass).

I would also suggest to CODOT, that the traffic lights to alternate single lane traffic on Independance Pass should be a permanent feature. There are two spots on the Aspen side that are just barely wide enough for two passenger vehicles to squeeze by each other, which frequently cause problems when a larger vehicle (or a regular car with an inept driver) can't get past a vehicle going the other way. Alternating single lane traffic would probably work better than leaving them uncontrolled.
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mtree
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by mtree »

I went over Independence Pass this past Friday and Sunday. On Friday morning it was a surprise to learn I-70 was closed again because as of Thurs evening it was open.

I'll say by the time I reached the pass via Leadville route it was fairly crowded, but not ridiculously. The two chokepoints where its a one-lane road was tough sledding. Cars trying to squeeze by each other. A dually made it real difficult for everyone! Got through without trading paint or mirrors. Once through Aspen the traffic on Hwy 82 headed into Aspen was backed up past the airport.

I left early Sunday morning and traffic over the pass was fine. No issues. There was a CDOT vehicle making certain no large vehicles would attempt the pass, but if a truck hauling a trailer or big RV showed up I'm not sure how they would turn around at that point. Kinda bizarro. That said, I think the suggested route over Berthoud Pass that CORed mentioned is already VERY popular. I hit a huge amount of traffic exiting onto I-70 at that point.

I'm not sure traffic lights at the chokepoints on Independence Pass would work. One of the sections is fairly long and blind so how would you time it to be certain vehicles got through? Or if someone blew through the light? Besides the miles of warning signs for no vehicles over 35 feet there should be something warning about trailers and large RVs. Or wide load vehicles. I agree that blatant lying about the pass being closed is BS. Makes you not trust anything you hear or read which just makes issues like this one even more difficult. Barring manning it with traffic flaggers I'm not sure of a better solution other than to blast away the mountain and make it 2 lanes.
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rperth
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by rperth »

Maybe they should implement a reservation system to get over the pass.
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12ersRule
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by 12ersRule »

They should call it impedence pass.
rperth
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by rperth »

It’s kinda like decalibron, they say it’s closed, but it’s not 😜
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by rijaca »

285/50 is open from Denver to GJ. The usual amount of summer traffic. Expect slow downs due to RVs and underpowered pickups pulling trailers.

And a Jellystone type slowdown on Kenosha Pass due to moose sighting in pond just north of the pass.
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HikerGuy
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Re: Inpendence Pass Closed

Post by HikerGuy »

rijaca wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 4:14 pm 285/50 is open from Denver to GJ. The usual amount of summer traffic. Expect slow downs due to RVs and underpowered pickups pulling trailers.

And a Jellystone type slowdown on Kenosha Pass due to moose sighting in pond just north of the pass.
The moose are still there, eh. I saw six of them in that spot on July 7. A bull, 2 cows and 3 calves. Three were in the pond and the other three were down the road a bit. Total shitshow! Cars stopped in the middle of the freaking road. State trooper was flying up the pass on my way down.

Good to hear that 285/50 has not been affected too much. I'm debating between Lake City and the Sangres for the weekend. Just saw a bad smoke outlook though, https://twitter.com/NWSBoulder/status/1 ... 2030880774, ugh!
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