50 vehicles involved in crashes that shut down I-70 in Glenwood Canyon

Dozens of vehicles were damaged in two pileup crashes that shut down Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon during Sunday’s snowstorm, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Colorado State Patrol troopers responded to the first crash at milepost 130, west of Gypsum in Eagle County, at 11:28 a.m. Sunday, according to a news release from the agency.

When troopers arrived, they found about 20 vehicles involved in a pileup crash, state patrol officials said. As of Sunday afternoon, all vehicles involved in the crash had been cleared from the scene.

Less than 20 minutes after the first crash, on the other side of Glenwood Canyon, troopers responded to another pileup involving roughly 30 vehicles, according to the release.

That crash was first reported at 11:42 a.m. Sunday near milepost 119, east of Glenwood Springs in Garfield County.

State patrol officials did not answer questions about the causes of the crashes, but said the I-70 corridor was icy and had low visibility on Sunday.

The two crashes shut down I-70 in both directions between exit 133 for Dotsero and exit 114 for Glenwood Springs for hours, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

I-70’s westbound lanes reopened shortly before 2 p.m., and the eastbound interstate had reopened by 3:45 p.m., according to state transportation officials.

No injuries were reported in either of the pileup crashes, state patrol officials said.

“Once the road is suitable for travel, emergency vehicles will begin leading vehicles through the area at slow speeds,” state patrol officials stated in the release. “Reported visibility for the area is approximately 500 feet.”

CDOT cameras in the crash areas showed snow-covered roads, still-falling flurries and multiple emergency vehicles on the highway throughout Sunday morning and afternoon.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

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Source – Indonesia News