Interstate 70 between Strasburg and Kansas has reopened. Colorado State Patrol cleared a crash involving several semi-trucks during the snowstorm earlier in the week. The crash impacted I-70 from Airpark Road to Kansas.
Our original story continues below:
As of early Thursday morning, westbound I-70 has reopened, however eastbound traffic remains closed from Air Park Road to Deer Trail. Colorado State Patrol said it would take until Thursday morning to fully clear the crash. I-70 will reopen soon from Deer Trail to Kansas.
Efforts to clear the crash on I 70 MP 313 are still going on this morning. West bound I 70 is in the process of opening now. Eastbound I 70 will be open shortly from deer trail to Kansas. Eastbound will remain closed from air park Road to deer trail until the crash is cleared.
I-70 is shut down in both directions just east of Aurora, at Air Park Road, to the Kansas border after a large crash on the interstate. Troopers say a semi-truck was heading eastbound when it jack-knifed Wednesday afternoon near Strasburg, about an hour east of Aurora. That caused a wreck of eight additional semi-trucks.
Troopers spokesperson Gary Cutler said the semi-truck pile up also caused additional car accidents.
“We also have approximately 12 to 13 passenger vehicles that have wrecked as well,” Cutler said. We have about 50 to 60 semis that are kind of stuck in the road there because of the crash along with multiple vehicles.”
Several of the semi truck fuel tanks also ruptured during the crash. Hazmat teams were cleaning up the wreckage into the night Wednesday. No injuries were reported as of Wednesday afternoon.
Just yesterday, Westbound I-70 in the Glenwood Canyon was closed for most of the afternoon after a crash involving four semi trucks including a gasoline tanker.
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) January 17, 2023
The tanker was ruptured in the process. Over 3,000 gallons were spilled onto the roadway. Crews drained and transferred the remaining gasoline into another tanker. The cleanup took several hours.
The interstate reopened shortly before 6:00 p.m. No injuries were reported from the crash.
Investigations into both crashes are ongoing.
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