COLORADO, USA — The latest winter cold front brought snow and below-freezing temperatures to Colorado, leading to slick, icy and snow-packed roads across the state.
The heaviest snow and highest impacts were seen Wednesday morning, though the evening commute was still impacted by snow.
The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Denver itself, with Winter Storm Warnings in the foothills just west of the city.
Plow drivers have been working around the clock to ensure roads are passable. The Colorado Department of Transportation is warning drivers to be cautious on the roads and drive within their limits
“Particularly as the road conditions start to look better and better, it's really important for people to continue to drive to the worst of those conditions and make sure that you know if you do hit a patch that isn't in quite as good of shape, your vehicle is prepared for it and you're going to stay safe,” CDOT spokesperson Matt Inzo said.
An ongoing issue throughout the winter has been drivers hitting plows trying to clear the roadways. CDOT is asking everyone to be mindful of sharing the roads.
“We had two more plows struck last night. We're in a bad run where it seems that every single storm that comes through, we're seeing drivers hit at least one of our snowplows. That's one less piece of equipment that we have available to get the roads clear and open for everybody. So please be careful out there,” Inzo said.
Highway closures
Two people were transported to the hospital after a semi-truck rolled over on northbound Interstate 225 near 6th Avenue around 3 p.m, according to the Aurora Police Department. Two of the northbound lanes of the highway were blocked for several hours. The interstate has since reopened.
Around noon on Wednesday, the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 were shut down at Strasburg due to multiple crashes, according to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP). The interstate has since reopened, but remains icy and snowpacked in spots.
Public transit delays
RTD said customers should expect delays and slower travel times as train and bus operators navigate icy and snow-packed conditions.
Travelers are urged to plan ahead and check the status of their routes ahead of time. They can do so in the following ways:
- Sign up for Service Alerts
- Check Next Ride for real-time locations of light rail and buses
- Call Customer Care, 303-299-6000, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Access-a-Ride customers should consider rescheduling non-essential trips.
Hundreds of schools, businesses and government offices are closed across the Denver area and along the Front Range due to a February blast of snow and frigid temperatures.
Denver Public Schools, Aurora Public Schools, Cherry Creek Schools, Douglas County School District, Mapleton Public Schools, Jefferson County Public Schools and Westminster Public Schools are among the major school districts closed on Wednesday.
FORECAST: Full forecast
CLOSURES: Full list of closures
Keep up with the latest road conditions here:
Colorado chain and traction laws
The CDOT urged travelers to be aware of chain and traction law codes before heading out on the roadway:
- Code 18/Commercial Chain Law: Commercial vehicles and trucks must have chains. Vehicles without chains can often lose traction, causing traffic delays and sometimes road closures. For the safety of the traveling public, it's critical to use chains to comply with Colorado's chain law.
- Code 15/Passenger Traction Law: All passenger vehicles must have appropriate all-weather tires with 3/16-inch depth. Vehicles must have one of the following: winter tires, tires with mud/snow (M+S) designation, chains or alternative traction devices such as an autosock. 4WD and AWD vehicles must have winter tires or all-weather tires.
- Code 16/Passenger Chain Law: All passenger vehicles need chains, except for 4WD and AWD vehicles with all-weather tires with 3/16-inch tread depth.
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