CDOT will be changing how fast you can drive on I-70 based on traffic conditions
DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Department of Transportation will activate new variable speed limit signs on a 10-mile stretch of eastbound Interstate 70 on Tuesday, March 12.
The new signs, installed between Georgetown and Idaho Springs, look similar to a standard speed limit sign but feature an LED display of the regulatory limit numbers. In total, there will be 26 variable speed limit signs installed along the stretch of the highway. The signs will be placed on each side of the roadway for the best visibility.
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According to CDOT, the project also added new vehicle speed/volume and weather detectors to gather real-time, consistent traffic and weather data. The technology can also automatically adjust based on the gathered data.
CDOT said that the new signs will allow for the appropriate speed limits to be posted in real-time. In turn, this will help prevent crashes at higher speeds, reduce the chances of secondary crashes and improve traffic flow through the corridor, according to the agency.
“The key purpose behind the new signs is to improve safety on the I-70 mountain corridor,” said Jessica Myklebust, the director of CDOT’s Region 1, covering the Denver metro region, in a release.
“(Variable speed limit signs) react to real-time congestion and incidents on the corridor, reducing speeds to a reasonable limit when needed. This helps to prevent crashes and ‘stop and go’ traffic. VSLs have been shown to improve safety and operations on highways nationwide,” Myklebust said.
The speed limits will only change when there are bad weather conditions or congestion that warrant a change, according to CDOT.
“One example is if there is a crash ahead on the highway, the variable speed limit signs can be changed to slow traffic down before reaching the back of the traffic queue to reduce the chances of a secondary crash,” the agency said in a release. “Similarly, if there is a snow storm on the corridor that may cause slick conditions, the speed limit will be lowered to slow drivers down.”
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The speed limit posted on a variable speed limit sign is the enforceable speed limit — meaning that’s what drivers can be ticketed for — and is not a recommended or suggested speed limit.
The signs are already in use in Glenwood Canyon and there are also efforts to use variable speed limits in other areas of the state, such as Wolf Creek Pass.
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