The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) had prepared to close the westbound portion of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnel because of ice and water leakage. However, the closure was prevented when the source of the damage was identified this week.
Paul Fox, CDOT Region 1 tunnel program manager, said that some of the leaks and ice mounds that motorists have witnessed were the result of a project that aimed at pushing water from the tunnel liner. He said this forced water over the arch of the tunnel and into an exhaust plenum, or an area with dedicated space for air circulation.
Once the water was pushed into the ventilation area, CDOT crews noticed icicles on the ceiling and ice mounds in the areas of the westbound tunnel, according to Fox.
“Now we have water on the left-hand wall, which in my time (with CDOT) we’ve never had up there before,” Fox said.
Crews are currently working to channel water out of the exhaust plenum.
CDOT officials said they look to avoid Interstate 70 closures when possible. The state’s economy takes a $1.6 million hit every hour a significant portion of the highway is closed, according to the agency.
Source: Summit Daily, Denver 7
