Colorado Outlines Ten-Year Road Improvement Plan, Including Upgrades to Ski Highway I-70

Late last month, the Colorado Department of Transportation approved a statewide, ten-year plan that outlines funding for improving the state's roads, including I-70, the highway that connects Denver to the mountains and is known for ski season traffic.



The Northwest section of the plan covers parts of I-70 and allocates $132 million to the region during the first four years, with another $198 million contemplated, the Summit Daily reported.

In Glenwood Canyon, not far from Sunlight Mountain Resort, the plan includes replacing guardrails and paving on deteriorated sections of I-70.



Further west, the plan aims to improve the I-70 interchanges at the towns of Silt and New Castle.



"These improvements will be scaled based on available budget and may incorporate enhancements to I-70 ramps, as well as signing and striping updates," the draft plan reads.



The plan also eyes continued funding for improvements to West Vail Pass. That area of I-70 has already seen work on new auxiliary lanes, wildlife fencing and underpasses, and advanced avalanche mitigation systems via a project slated to reach "substantial completion" in December 2026. Vail Mountain and Copper Mountain stand on either side.



All told, the plan includes more than 250 projects across Colorado, with the aim of fixing roads, improving safety, and "sustainably" increasing transportation choice, according to a release shared by CDOT.

Folded into those goals is $60 million in funding to grow and maintain Bustang's fleet, a transit service that takes passengers all around Colorado, including from Denver to ski resorts like Breckenridge, Loveland, and Copper Mountain.



The release noted, too, that passenger rail projects are "key initiatives" in the plan. Earlier this year, Coloradans voted on a name for a future Front Range rail passenger service, deciding on the Colorado Connector, or CoCo.



"This 10-Year Plan is part of our firm commitment to a safer, more connected future for every Coloradan," said CDOT executive director Shoshana Lew in the release. "This plan was developed through countless conversations with Colorado residents, local elected officials, technical experts and many others dedicated to improving Colorado's roads."

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 3:05 AM.