Major rock slide closes I-70 in western Colorado

Published: Monday, March 8, 2010 12:53 p.m. MST

Associated Press

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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Crews have begun breaking apart massive boulders that tumbled onto Interstate 70 in western Colorado and forced a 17-mile section of the highway to close.

Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Stacey Stegman says workers are drilling holes in the boulders to insert explosives and blast them into smaller pieces.

The rock slide hit at about midnight Sunday and punched gaping holes in a bridge in Glenwood Canyon about 110 miles west of Denver. No injuries were reported.

All lanes were closed from Glenwood Springs east to the town of Dotsero, and it's unclear when they will reopen.

Up to 25,000 vehicles a day travel that section of highway.

3 comments

Recent comments

I drove through that canyon last night, from Vail to Salt Lake...

So close | March 8, 2010 at 11:47 p.m.

The drive on I70 through Glenwood Canyon is one of the most...

Yikes! | March 8, 2010 at 4:32 p.m.

Hmmm...maybe I should start going to Denver via I-80 from now on....

Road Warrior | March 8, 2010 at 4:30 p.m.

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