CDOT did not want a seven-month airport shutdown and a canyon construction season in the same summer. The state added $5 million to cover the cost of waiting. Meanwhile, emergency tunnel repairs are slowing westbound traffic through Oct. 31.
The next big round of I-70 work in Glenwood Canyon is moving from 2027 to 2028. The Colorado Transportation Commission approved $5 million from its program reserve on Oct. 15 to cover the inflation and cost increases that come with waiting a year, according to CDOT's announcement.
The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is scheduled to close entirely from April 4 to Nov. 19, 2027, for its modernization project. CDOT expects that to push air travelers to Eagle County Regional Airport or onto the road from Denver, which means more cars through the canyon in exactly the months construction would have been underway. CDOT leadership recommended skipping the 2027 construction season rather than stack two major disruptions on the same corridor. Pitkin and Eagle county commissioners both sent letters supporting the move.
The project covers 16.5 miles of I-70 in Garfield County, from mile point 115.5 to 132.0. The total budget is $101.16 million: $1.46 million for design and $99.7 million for construction. CDOT lists four main pieces of work:
Separate from Phase 8, CDOT and contractor Structures Inc. began emergency repair work on the Hanging Lake Tunnel on Oct. 6. The City of Glenwood Springs' construction update lists westbound single-lane and shoulder closures between mile points 125 and 126, with traffic holds of up to 10 minutes before the tunnel, through Oct. 31. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon Fridays. The project hotline is 970-661-3086.
Expect CDOT to publish a Phase 8 construction schedule closer to 2028. Current canyon lane closures and travel alerts are at codot.gov/travel/i70mountain/glenwoodcanyon and COtrip.org.
