Detours around I-70 and Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel

5 days ago

1 3 minutes read

DENVER (KDVR) — Interstate 70 is one of the main roads to get to and from the mountains, but during the winter, it’s also known for lengthy traffic delays and closing for weather and crashes.

Between October 2023 and April 2024, over seven million drivers passed through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, ultimately leaving the roadway with hundreds of crashes that resulted in I-70 being closed for over 200 hours during the winter season.

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When I-70 has delays or shuts down, you won’t be stranded in the mountains or unable to ski for the day. There are two detours to drive around the Eisenhower-Johnson tunnels, which often have delays and safety closures through the winter, but not using one of the main roads in and out of the mountains will cost you some time.

Detours around I-70, Eisenhower-Johnson tunnels

Whether it’s heavy traffic, winter weather, safety closures or an accident that’s holding up I-70 near the Eisenhower-Johnson tunnels, there are ways to get around it, but the detours could add a few hours to your trip.

285/south route

This detour around I-70 and the tunnel will take about three hours to get from downtown Denver to Vail, ultimately adding about an hour or hour and a half to the trip without traffic.

Here are the detour routes:

Westbound: Take U.S. 6 W to C-470 E. Take U.S. Hwy 285 S to Fairplay, CO 9 N to Frisco and I-70 W to Vail
Eastbound: Continue on I-70 E to Frisco. Take CO 9 S to Fairplay. Take U.S. Hwy 285 N to C-470 W. Take U.S. 6 E to Lincoln Street in Denver.

285/south route around Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel (Courtesy of Google Maps)

According to FOX31’s Traffic Analyst Drew Engelbart, the south route is the best route to avoid I-70 and it’s the route that most people use when the roadway or tunnel is closed.

North routes

There are two other northern routes around the interstate and the tunnel.

If the Eisenhower-Johnson tunnels are closed, but the rest of I-70 is open, Engelbart said this is one of the best northern routes between downtown Denver and the mountains. It adds about an hour to an hour and a half without traffic.

Here are the detour routes:

Westbound: Take I-70 W to the Empire junction with U.S Hwy 40 Take U.S. Hwy 40 W to Kremmling, then CO 9 S to Silverthorne and I-70 W to your destination.
Eastbound: Continue on I-70 E to Silverthorne. Take CO-9 N to Kremmling. Take U.S. Hwy 40 E to I-70 E to Lincoln St in Denver.

North detour around Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel (Courtesy of Google Maps

However, this route still goes on I-70 for a bit, and Engelbart said U.S 40 (Berthoud Pass) is known to close a lot.

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Another option that avoids I-70 would route up through Steamboat. While this would take several more hours, it would avoid the interstate and the tunnel in the cases of prolonged closures.

Here are the detour routes:

Westbound: Take 287 W from Fort Collins to Ted’s Place. Drive from CO-14 W to U.S. 40 E to Kremmling. Take CO-9 S to Silverthorne and I-70 W to the destination.
Eastbound: Follow I-70 E to Silverthorne to CO-9 N in Kremmling. Take U.S. 40 W to CO-14 E to N Shields St in Larimer County

North detour around I-70 (Courtesy of Google Maps)

Whether you’re heading to the mountains or back to Denver, be sure to check the weather before leaving as conditions can change quickly, and I-70 often sees the worst of it.