CDOT opens west side of Vail Pass Bike Path
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) opened the western portion of the Vail Pass Bike Path – between East Vail and the top of Vail Pass – at 2 p.m. on Thursday.
Despite late spring snowfall, crews have worked daily to clear the path so it could reopen by Memorial Day. CDOT urges cyclists to ride with caution as the path still has a few icy spots, and more ice may form if the area receives colder temperatures or inclement weather.
The east side of the path, between the top of the pass and Copper Mountain, remains closed and will not open until the remaining snow melts naturally. CDOT cannot plow the path with machinery since the five timber bridges on this segment are not able to handle heavy snow-clearing equipment.
As a result, beginning in June, construction will begin to repave the path with asphalt and reconstruct all the bridges. Bicycle travel will be allowed. However, flaggers will control the two-wheel traffic from sunup to sundown, Monday through Thursday, and from sunup to about 2 p.m. on Fridays.
While this work is taking place, CDOT reminds cyclists and pedestrians to please obey all warning and directional signs. Cooperation from all users is greatly appreciated.
To receive real-time updates about road conditions in a particular area, go to www.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot.
Despite late spring snowfall, crews have worked daily to clear the path so it could reopen by Memorial Day. CDOT urges cyclists to ride with caution as the path still has a few icy spots, and more ice may form if the area receives colder temperatures or inclement weather.
The east side of the path, between the top of the pass and Copper Mountain, remains closed and will not open until the remaining snow melts naturally. CDOT cannot plow the path with machinery since the five timber bridges on this segment are not able to handle heavy snow-clearing equipment.
As a result, beginning in June, construction will begin to repave the path with asphalt and reconstruct all the bridges. Bicycle travel will be allowed. However, flaggers will control the two-wheel traffic from sunup to sundown, Monday through Thursday, and from sunup to about 2 p.m. on Fridays.
While this work is taking place, CDOT reminds cyclists and pedestrians to please obey all warning and directional signs. Cooperation from all users is greatly appreciated.
To receive real-time updates about road conditions in a particular area, go to www.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot.
2 Comments on "CDOT opens west side of Vail Pass Bike Path"
emmascarlett – May 17, 2023, at 9:49 a.m.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has opened the west side of the Vail Pass Bike Path. Although the path still contains a few icy spots, cyclists can now ride with caution. The elbow joint pain east side of the path remains closed until all the snow melts naturally. In June, construction work will begin to repave the path, and cyclists must obey all warning signs while using the path. For real-time updates on the path and road conditions, visit www.coloradodot.info.
alyssa – Jan. 21, 2023, at 9:33 a.m.
It's great news that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has opened the western portion of the Vail Pass Bike Path in time for Memorial Day. This area has been closed for diamond rings some time, so it's wonderful to know that the crews have worked hard to clear the path and make it safe for cyclists to enjoy. However, it's important to remember that cyclists should still ride with caution, as there may still be icy patches and more ice may form if temperatures drop.