BOULDER, Colo. — US 36 is a hot mess when all the lanes are open … and since it’s likely the eastbound direction will remain closed on Monday morning, it might be prudent to prepare yourself now for a particularly hellish commute.
Crews are still working to repair a crack that buckled the road at Wadsworth Boulevard. There’s no timeline for when that work will finish or what caused the problem in the first place.
FULL STORY: Eastbound lanes of US 36 likely won't reopen by Monday as crews work to repair crack in the road
RTD and the Colorado Department of Transportation are even going as far as to recommend that impacted travelers don’t even try to brave the traffic and telecommute if they can.
Can’t work from home? No problem. There are still ways to get from Boulder to Denver. Here’s a look at some alternate routes that aren’t US 36.
Public Transportation
In preparation for what’s expected to be some pretty intense traffic, CDOT is offering free travel on the Flatiron Flyer and Longmont to Denver bus routes on Monday and Tuesday. With that being said, folks on the bus won’t be spared.
In a news release, RTD said “buses will be subject to the same traffic conditions and detours as all other vehicles on the road. Bus schedules likely will be affected, and riders are likely to experience standing room on vehicles and longer travel times.”
More travelers on the buses all means more cars at the Park-and-Ride lots. RTD is asking commuters to carpool or get dropped off if they can.
Find the full schedule here: bit.ly/2XKEG8v
Alternate routes
To begin with, here are CDOT’s official detours.
For folks headed to the north metro area: CDOT recommends taking the Northwest Parkway (yes, it’s a toll road) to Interstate 25. Here’s a look at that route.
For folks headed south of US 36 and I-25: CDOT recommends taking CO 93 (it’s a gorgeous drive along the Flatirons) to Golden, and then heading east on CO 58 until it reaches I-70. Here’s a look at that route.
Of course, there are more creative ways to escape Boulder than this. Here are some ideas:
McCaslin Boulevard to Indiana Avenue: This route is essentially parallel to CO 93 and offers a linkup to CO 58 and then I-70.
CO 7 all the way to I-25: Avoid the toll road altogether by taking CO 7 to I-25 (this is a pretty narrow road though, so it could get congested fast)
One thing to do? Check out Google Maps or Waze before you go – it might offer some alternative routes that avoid an awkward text message to your boss.
The 9NEWS app has handy traffic maps that can also help you avoid inevitable delays!
And the keyword here is inevitable, if your commute involves US 36. The best thing you can do is prepare for it, make a good playlist or pick a good podcast, and remember we’re all in this together.
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