CDOT Advises You to ‘Stay Off The Road’ This Weekend

The Colorado Department of Transportation issued a Heavy Snow Warning for the dates of Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14. They've even gone so far as to advise motorists to "...stay off the road during the storm."

CDOT is gearing up for a whopper of a winter storm. CDOT spokesperson Tamara Rollison told FOX 31, “Whatever your plans are, you need to get to your destination before the storm hits.”

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Is this as big a deal as they are hyping it up to be?

Apparently so. COtrip.org issued this weather alert:

Potential major winter storm event may impact roadways east of the divide. Forecast models show the potential for heavy snowfall Friday-Sunday along I-25, the Eastern Plains, and mountain corridors up to the Continental Divide. While there is some uncertainty at this time, there is potential for significant snowfall to impact most of these areas. If this system materializes, road closures, chain laws and blizzard conditions are likely. - COtrip.org

 

What should Colorado motorists do to prepare for the weekend?

Rollison told FOX31, “We are anticipating a whopper of a storm this weekend and so we will be advising motorists to stay off the road during the storm."

Personally, I read that as "Stay home."

How can you keep an eye on road conditions?

You can always keep up to speed, literally, with snowplows in Colorado. COtrip.org has a feature where you can monitor snowplows across the state in real-time. The image below was captured at 9:20 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10. I don't know about you, but this looks like some kind of invasion force right out of a Star Wars movie. Obviously, the state of Colorado is preparing for something big.

Looking at the display, it shows a total of 196 snowplows on standby. To my eyes, it looks like Colorado is getting ready.

What can we do to get ready for the storm?

I'm going to follow my own advice and stay home. If you plan to travel, I recommend keeping COtrip.org handy. You might even keep your eye on the snowplow map.

If you must travel, CDOT advises you to:

• Have a full tank of gas
• Stock your vehicle with water
• Carry food of some kind
• Make sure you have your winter gear

The storm will be here before you know it.

I still like the "stay home" idea. To quote Tamara Rollison from CDOT, "We are prepared for the worst."