The northbound lanes of Interstate 25 were shut down at Speer Boulevard for more than two hours early Thursday after a fatal crash early Thursday morning.
The crash, at I-25 and 20th Street, was reported around 5 a.m., according to a Colorado Department of Transportation tweet.
At 7:05 a.m., CDOT tweeted that the left three lanes were open, but the right lane remained closed for crash cleanup. At 7:20, CDOT tweeted the last lane had reopened.
upd:Left three lanes now open NB I-25 @ Speer Blvd;Right lane remains closed during ongoing crash cleanup;Expect long delays thru area
— CDOT (@ColoradoDOT) January 4, 2018
All lanes open NB I-25 @ Speer Blvd after crash cleanup
— CDOT (@ColoradoDOT) January 4, 2018
“It’s already interfering with the commute,” said Marika Putnam, spokeswoman for the Denver Police Department.
She predicted it would take hours to complete the investigation and clear the accident before northbound lanes are reopened. Traffic detectives will conduct a thorough investigation of what caused the fatal accident, she said.
“I know they are working on it as fast as they can without interfering with the investigation,” Putnam said.
The crash involved three vehicles, Putnam said. The victim was pronounced at the scene, she said.
Tamara Rollison, CDOT spokeswoman, said overhead message boards on the highway have been activated. Commuters should take alternative routes, she said.
“The back ups are already bad. It’s going to cause some issues for this morning,” Rollison said.
One alternative route is to take E-470 to Interstate 70 to get back to I-25, she said.
Rollison also urged people to slow down and be extra careful because when highways are shut down secondary accidents can occur.
“Take more time to get to work today,” she said.
