Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: I-70

Train conductor who revived ski train wants to fix I-70 traffic with ‘rail bridge’
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Train conductor who revived ski train wants to fix I-70 traffic with ‘rail bridge’

By David O. Williams | Denver Gazette A longtime Amtrak train conductor credited with crafting a business plan that helped revive the mothballed Winter Park Express ski train in 2017 now has a plan to get at least 60% of the commercial truck traffic off of Interstate 70 and free it up for skiers, snowboarders and other mountain travelers. Brad Swartzwelter, 60, retired as conductor of the ski train last spring after 30 years with Amtrak, the federal rail agency that runs the popular, seasonal and recently expanded ski train service between Denver’s Union Station and the city of Denver’s Winter Park Resort. “I-70 congestion has cost us dearly in the snow sports industry, and it is my absolute mission in life … to get people safely, conveniently and economically up to our economic e...
Lawmakers eye safety fix on I-70 by targeting commercial drivers
Approved, State, thelobby-co.com

Lawmakers eye safety fix on I-70 by targeting commercial drivers

By The Lobby | The Lobby Colorado state lawmakers are targeting commercial truckers in their hope to reduce winter traffic jams on I-70, and critics argue that they are focusing on the wrong group of drivers. The winter season often turns I-70 into a parking lot, particularly in the mountainous areas. While vacationers and weather conditions contribute to the congestion, lawmakers at the state Capitol are pointing their fingers at experienced commercial truckers as the main culprits. According to Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Frisco Democrat and bill sponsor, many of the accidents in recent winters have been caused by semis speeding in the left lane while attempting to pass other cars. He claims that these accidents are completely avoidable. As a result, SB24-100 is now being considered a...