Skiers and riders heading to Vail, Beaver Creek and beyond won’t have to endure construction delays following the winter suspension of operations that begins on Friday. No lane closures are anticipated during the winter break, with normal two-lane traffic in both directions.
Vail Resort is scheduled to open on Nov. 14, Beaver Creek on Nov. 26, Aspen and Snowmass on Nov. 27.
Construction on the $325 million West Vail Pass auxiliary lanes project began in 2021. CDOT officials expect to complete it in 2026.
This year, CDOT completed and opened a new eastbound bridge between East Vail and Vail Pass with wider shoulders than the bridge it replaced. An eastbound auxiliary lane has been added that will provide three lanes for the final 3-mile climb to the summit of the pass. The auxiliary lane will accommodate commercial vehicles and other slow-moving traffic.
When construction resumes in the spring, crews plan to complete an avalanche and rockfall mitigation system in an area known as the Narrows, about 4 miles north of Vail Pass. When finished, the new system will allow CDOT and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center to monitor and manage a known avalanche path, according to a CDOT news release.
“Traffic holds and helicopter operations in 2025 enabled crews to complete rockfall mitigation work, transport materials, and pour concrete foundations for the retention system,” according to the release. “Installation will continue in 2026 and will require temporary traffic holds on I-70 in both directions, similar to those experienced this past summer.”
In September, CDOT opened a new Vail Pass rest area with expanded restrooms and parking.