The Colorado Department of Transportation hopes to have at least one route from the Front Range to Estes Park open to cyclists sometime this week. Ashely Mohr, CDOT spokesperson, says that now that the first real snow storm of the season has passed, workers will be evaluating highways 7, 36 and 34 for road damage, rock slide potential, embankment scour (undercutting) and shoulder condition (hard and soft). If the highway(s) are deemed safe, they will be reopened to cyclists for the first time since the Sept floods. Highway 34 from Loveland to Estes Park was opened to cars and tucks on November 21st. Mohr says that due to delicate nature of the canyon, restrictions may be reinstated and lifted from time to time for all vehicles.
When asked why the cycling community wasn’t notified when the restrictions first went into place, Mohr says that they were mentioned in the press release that was distributed to news agencies, but not reported. “The cycling community is very much on our minds”
Moving forward, CDOT will be alerting YGR about any Northern Colorado cycling related restrictions.
