People who frequently drive through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels on Interstate 70 might notice more visible structure leaks and ice mounds building up in the travel lanes this winter. The Colorado Department of Transportation has a $71 million plan to fix it.

Colorado Department of Transportation representatives said the agency has some of the more perennial issues under control, yet there’s one which became more prevalent this year. Spokesperson Stacia Sellers said the organization has long monitored and removed ice mounds from the tunnel lanes.

“This annual occurrence forms when water seeps through the mountain and permeates the tunnel, where it collects, … freezes and slowly gathers near the roadway below,” Sellers said via email. “This is not a new challenge, and not unique when managing a complex structure that is more than 50 years old.”

CDOT started its $71 million repair project in June 2023, which, in part, sought to address water infiltration in the tunnel, and Sellers said crews began noticing new problems since work began.

“While a project last summer addressed ice build-up along the ceiling of the tunnel, crews are now seeing water move differently and ice build-ups in different locations than before,” she said.

CDOT plans to start a segment of the project that aims to remove some of the tunnel’s wall panels so it can investigate the ice formations and determine permanent repairs.

Sellers said motorists can expect an upcoming extended closure of the eastbound bore so CDOT crews can remove the panels. She said more work is expected after that and will require a single-lane weekday closure while crews work. There is currently no clear timeline for this project, and CDOT is continuing to review the situation to determine the best course of action and type and length of closures that may be needed, she said.

“The schedule is weather and temperature-dependent at this time,” Sellers said.

She said the tunnel was recently fully inspected to confirm its structural integrity, and crews do daily inspections to remove ice and to ensure there aren’t issues that could impact traffic. Additionally, CDOT uses cameras inside the tunnel to monitor hazards and is ready to dispatch a crew if maintenance is needed immediately. According to Sellers, the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels are always staffed around the clock.

Every morning, crews will conduct 15 minute-holds to scrape off the ice mounds and icicles, she added.

“Keeping the tunnels in good working condition is a priority for CDOT as it is a lifeline for Colorado’s economy and communities along the Western Slope,” she said. “For every hour that I-70 is closed, the state’s economy takes about a $1.6 million hit.”

She said the tunnels are prioritized in CDOT’s ten-year plan, which was originally adopted in May 2020. At least $53 million has been invested in tunnel repairs since. The $71 million repair project is slated to wrap in fall 2025.

There is also an additional $100 million in funds earmarked for future projects on the tunnel.