Overview
- A flash flood and mudslide struck near New Castle on Monday evening, burying more than 300 yards of I-70 with mud, rocks, logs and what CDOT called a "lakes worth of water."
- Crews worked around the clock using excavators, front‑end loaders, vacuum trucks, plows and sweepers to reopen lanes in stages and fully restored traffic early Thursday before the new closure.
- CDOT closed westbound lanes again Friday morning between New Castle and Silt because continued runoff and flooding made the corridor unsafe and crews remain on site removing debris.
- Officials say heavy rain and hail overwhelmed drought‑baked, water‑repellent ground and clogged drainage, which turned intense precipitation into rapid runoff and debris flows that the highway’s drainage could not handle.
- Drivers are being routed to Highway 6 detours, should expect delays, and face a corridor with a history of slide‑related closures that could mean more intermittent shutdowns during severe weather; no injuries were reported in this event.