As summer turns to fall, the Colorado Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to anticipate additional traffic in the high country over the next few weekends as people head out to see the autumn leaves.
Mountain roads see increased traffic when the aspens begin turning to red and gold, so drivers and photo-takers standing and walking along roadways need to watch out for each other.
Be a smart leaf peeper with the following tips:
• Beware of other vehicles that may be traveling at lower speeds.
• Watch for vehicles pulling off the roadways and vehicles parked along the roadside.
• Find safe, designated areas to park.
• Drivers, be aware of pedestrians. People will be out of their vehicles, often taking photos.
• Pedestrians also should be extremely diligent and watch out for passing vehicles.
In addition, it is a great time to kick off the autumn travel season with Colorado Byways Roadtrip Weekend Sept. 27-29. That weekend aligns with National Public Lands Day on Sept. 28.
Pairing up a beautiful scenic drive along with the popular enjoyment and volunteer conservation of public lands can provide an economic boost to rural communities. The bonus: Admission to the national parks and monuments is free on National Public Lands Day.
For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/public-lands-day.htm.
For more on the state’s 26 scenic and historic byways, visit https://www.codot.gov/travel/colorado-byways, where you can learn fun facts, estimated drive times, key attractions, route length and more.
Another resource is www.cotrip.org and the COtrip Planner App, where you can plan your route ahead of time by clicking on the scenic byways layer on the layers menu.
CDOT also is reminding drivers that highway work zones are possible, even on weekends. Although most projects shut down for the weekend, some may take advantage of favorable fall weather to continue construction activities before winter weather stops work until the spring.
