104 Car Pile Up on Denver I-25, One Dead

DENVER – At least one person was killed and 20 injured in pileups involving 104 vehicles on Interstate 25 in Denver Saturday morning.

Traffic was at a standstill for more than a mile after the pile-ups on Interstate 25 between University and Downing..

Denver fire personnel and paramedics attended to the many injured. Numerous ambulances ferried the injured to hospitals. Denver Health Medical Center said 20 people were injured in the crashes.

One person involved in the crash told 7NEWS reporter Molly Hendrickson that “cars were sliding all directions” when the pile-up happened.

Another victim told Eric Lupher of 7NEWS that “everybody was driving normal speed and then all of sudden there was a wall of red and everybody started spinning.”

The non-injured drivers of wrecked cars were being put on RTD busses. Wrecked cars were towed to South High School.

There was no estimate on when the mile-long stretch of highway would be reopened.

Adverse weather continued on the I-70 mountain corridor Saturday afternoon.

Wave Escorts were implemented on westbound I-70 during peak times this morning. During this time, plows were working to clear the roads of snow and ice while traffic was being held in order to maintain public safety and improve traction. I-70 eastbound has reopened at Silverthorne, Vail Pass and Dotsero.

Wave Escorts have been implemented on I-70 at Silverthorne and motorists should anticipate this to continue well into the evening due to traffic volumes and adverse winter weather. Wave Escorts are implemented along the corridor to ensure that traffic can move steadily up the hill without having to stop and encounter possible traction issues. Wave escorts are designed to keep traffic rolling, resulting in fewer delays on a heavily congested weekend in inclement weather.

The Colorado Department of Transportation said it cannot allow backups in or around the Eisenhower Tunnel for the safety of the traveling public. When Wave Escorts are implemented, motorists should anticipate stops in Silverthorne or Frisco where they will wait for an escort up the mountain by Colorado State Patrol. Troopers will be stationed ready to lead waves of motorists up the mountain and through the Eisenhower Tunnel.

By holding traffic in these locations during adverse weather, snow plows are given an empty roadway to perform echelon plowing. Echelon plowing is when snow plows line up at an angle along the corridor. This type of plowing is the most effective and efficient method of clearing snow and ice from the roadway as evenly as possible in the least amount of time, providing motorists a clear and safe roadway.

All commercial vehicles were instructed to exit at Dotsero and staged releases are being set up at this time for those vehicles along the corridor. Loveland Pass remains closed with no estimated time for reopening. CDOT is working to ensure the volume of motorists traveling along this mountain corridor are safe and encourage the traveling public to ensure their vehicles are properly equipped for conditions, to drive according to winter conditions when appropriate and to anticipate heavy delays when traveling during peak times.

 

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