Drivers can expect additional traffic on roadways, including the Interstate 70 mountain corridor, over the next few days due to Thanksgiving.

The Colorado State Patrol will be increasing the number of state troopers on major travel routes over the holiday period. Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Transportation will suspend daily lane closures on state construction and maintenance projects from Wednesday through Monday to minimize impacts during the holiday traffic.

Traffic volumes on the I-70 mountain corridor are expected to increase beginning Wednesday morning around 8 a.m., with the heaviest travel Friday through Sunday, beginning around 8 a.m. and continuing to 6 p.m., CDOT said in a news release.

Transportation officials warned that drivers could encounter winter weather in the mountains at any time and need to ensure their vehicles are in compliance with the state’s chain and traction laws.

After a small chance of snow Wednesday morning, it is expected to remain mostly dry along the I-70 corridor through Thanksgiving, with a chance for a snowstorm toward the end of the weekend, according to OpenSnow.

Traffic at the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels on I-70 tends to be lower over the Thanksgiving weekend, compared to other fall and winter holiday weekends. In 2024, a total of just over 190,000 vehicles traveled through the tunnels between Wednesday and Monday, according to CDOT. 

Last year, westbound traffic peaked Friday with about 19,000 vehicles passing through the tunnel, while eastbound traffic peaked Saturday, with about 25,200 vehicles traveling through the tunnel.

There were also 148 crashes on the day before Thanksgiving last year — with the three main causes being speeding, lane violations and wildlife collisions, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

On Wednesday, the Colorado State Patrol said in a news release that troopers and various local law enforcement agencies will be targeting areas around the state that experience increased traffic volume during holiday periods, including I-70.

Drivers can check CoTrip.org for updates on road conditions and travel impacts or visit CODOT.gov/travel/i70mountain for information specific to the I-70 mountain corridor.