Clear Creek/Summit Counties - As part of a project to repair the tunnel walls, the westbound bore of the I-70 Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel (EJMT) will be closed for several nights over a four-week period beginning Sunday, Sept. 25, with alternating traffic in the eastbound tunnel.

For motorist safety, overnight full-bore closures on westbound I-70 are necessary to reset the panels that have been displaced. A large forklift will move the panels and this equipment requires the entire two-lane width of the tunnel to maneuver safely.

The westbound I-70 EJMT tunnel will be fully closed to traffic from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights for four weeks, beginning Sunday night, Sept. 25. There will be no more closures past Oct. 20 before the first of ski season openers.

Westbound and eastbound I-70 traffic will be stopped at the tunnel and one direction of traffic will be taken at a time through the eastbound bore.

Traffic will be led by a pilot car to ensure the safety of the traveling public. Motorists should expect reduced speeds and travel delays. There will be about 15 to 20-minute delays from 11 p.m. to midnight and minor delays afterward.

The closure schedule could change depending on the weather and other factors. Check COtrip.org for the latest information on closures and road conditions.

The grout repair project is replacing and repairing grout beds that support the interior wall panels in the EJMT westbound tunnel and is repairing steel hangars (brackets that hold the wall panels in place) throughout the tunnel. The estimated construction completion date is November 2022. See project background video on YouTube.

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

The new FREE COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the  Google Play Store  (Android devices) or the  Apple Store  (iOS devices) to download!