Colorado transportation officials launched a new safety initiative this week designed to help truck drivers to safety travel on the I-70 Mountain Corridor.
On Friday, August 16, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) introduced the new “The Mountain Rules” initiative. The program combines new traffic safety features with an education campaign to help truck drivers — particularly those who aren’t familiar with driving on steep Colorado roads — to avoid brake issues that could cause a crash.
As part of The Mountain Rules, CDOT will be adding new six new signs on eastbound I-70 to let drivers know about brake check locations. They’ll also be making some improvements to the short term truck parking area at the Genesee Park exit. CDOT also says that drivers will soon be able to subscribe to an in-cab alert system that will warn them about common areas where brake trouble can occur as well as brake check areas and runaway truck ramps.
The other part of The Mountain Rules program involves education about how to use safety features already in place like runaway ramps.
CDOT will also be gathering data to determine whether additional runaway ramps are needed as part of the program.
The Mountain Rules will expand from the I-70 Mountain Corridor to other parts of the state, CDOT says.
The safety initiative is being conducted in partnership with PrePass, Drivewyze, the Colorado State Patrol, and the Colorado Motor Carriers Association. PrePass and Drivewyze have added safety alerts to their systems in conjunction with program.
CDOT says that the new safety initiative isn’t necessarily related to a high profile quadruple fatality pileup crash that happened on I-70 near Lakewood in April. “We always look for ways to improve safety. We are certainly aware of this poignance of the partnership given the crash earlier this year,” CDOT spokesman Matt Inzeo told CPR.