Work on the I-70 West Vail Pass Auxiliary Lanes project is concluding for the season, with construction crews logging over 90,000 combined hours and an average of 60 workers present each day. Key achievements in 2025 include the opening of a new eastbound bridge between East Vail and Vail Pass at Mile Point 185, as well as the completion of an eastbound auxiliary lane approaching Vail Pass between MP 187.3 and 190.
The project will enter a planned winter break starting Friday, November 7, with work expected to resume in spring 2026 for its final construction season. During this hiatus, no scheduled lane closures are planned, although some minor work may occur away from traffic lanes. The I-70 corridor will return to its usual two-lane configuration in each direction for winter travel. The newly completed eastbound auxiliary lane will be available for use throughout the winter.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has introduced an online hub for information related to the I-70 Mountain Corridor at codot.gov/i70mountain. This site consolidates resources from COtrip.org and the COtrip Planner app to help travelers navigate mountain roads safely during winter.
“Vail Pass is a critical thoroughfare for our mountain communities. That’s why these safety improvements are so important for the I-70 Mountain Corridor,” said CDOT Region 3 Transportation Director Jason Smith. “With work pausing for the season, we can reflect and appreciate the tremendous progress made this year. Most notably, the new eastbound bridge and auxiliary lane will improve traffic flow and reduce crashes this winter and beyond.”
The new eastbound auxiliary lane provides a dedicated climbing space for slower vehicles such as commercial trucks on Vail Pass, aiming to reduce speed differences that can cause safety concerns or disrupt traffic flow.
This summer also saw completion of a new eastbound bridge at MP 185.2—built alongside its westbound counterpart—and demolition of the old structure. The replacement bridge is designed with improved geometry, spans more than 560 feet, offers wider shoulders, and adds room for emergency vehicles if lanes are blocked.
Crews resurfaced parts of eastbound I-70 between Mile Points 179 and 185 to address wear from previous seasons; this upgrade should enhance driving conditions and aid future maintenance efforts.
In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, CDOT expanded a parking lot along Big Horn Road using leftover construction materials. This expansion aims to ease conflicts between parked cars and recreation path users while improving access to nearby trailheads like Gore Lake and Deluge Lake.
CDOT worked with Xcel Energy to install five miles of fiber-optic conduit within a shared utility trench connecting electric lines with highway cameras and traveler information systems used by COtrip.org and its app.
Nearly two miles of the Vail Pass recreation path were reconstructed in summer 2022 as part of efforts to widen I-70’s eastbound side; improvements included new drainage systems to protect Black Gore Creek from sediment runoff and construction of a retaining wall under bridges supporting the relocated path.
Additional technology upgrades include preparations for a westbound highway closure system gate at MP 190 interchange along with infrastructure supporting future speed limit signs and message boards.
When work resumes next spring, remaining tasks will focus on finishing paving operations, completing wildlife crossings—including underpasses designed to reduce animal-vehicle collisions—and installing avalanche mitigation systems. Final touches will also be made on landscaping and recreational paths beneath new bridges.
