Prepare For Detour: Eastbound I-70 Through Glenwood Canyon Closes Wednesday

Eastbound Interstate 70 travelers in Colorado need to plan ahead this week to avoid a time-consuming detour.

The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon will be closed on Wednesday while crews remove a semi-tractor trailer that was involved in a wreck last week. The wreck shut down eastbound I-70 through the canyon for nearly five hours on Thursday.

Glenwood Canyon Closure Starts At 10:00 Wednesday Morning

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, Wednesday's closure will start at 10:00 a.m. and is expected to last for about six hours. CDOT says the length of the closure could change depending on the weather as well as other factors. The eastbound closure will leave motorists with two options.

Wednesday Travel Options During Glenwood Canyon Closure

If you have travel plans to Denver on Wednesday - or any points east of Glenwood Canyon, your best option is going to be to leave early enough to get through the canyon before the 10:00 closure. Essentially, that means leaving Grand Junction by around 8:00 Wednesday morning.

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Option two is far less desirable, and that is the dreaded northern alternative route that takes you on Highway 13 to U.S. Highway 40 and then back to I-70 on Highway 9. The detour adds about 2 1/2 hours to your eastbound travel time.

Westbound Traffic through Glenwood Canyon Will Be Unaffected

It's worth pointing out that westbound traffic through Glenwood Canyon will not be affected by this closure. Only the eastbound lanes are being impacted by this planned closure of I-70. Altering your travel plans now will save you a ton of time, travel, and headache on Wednesday.