With the time period for Colorado’s mandatory chain carry period about to expire at the end of the month, state police recently issued an update on their enforcement efforts since last September.
In the Colorado State Patrol’s recent reporton its efforts thus far, it said once a week during the chain season, Port of Entry locations conduct a proactive chain check. Also, Troopers stationed along the I-70 corridor conduct monthly mobile chain-check enforcement operations. The results:
- Citations at port of entry – 2,218
- Citations at mobile checkpoints – 187
- Port runners – 317 (troopers follow and pull over)
At the mobile checkpoints, troopers determined 9.6% of the commercial drivers contacted violated the Must Carry Law.
“We know that I-70 is also ‘main street’ for many of our mountain communities for commuting and emergency service access. Keeping the interstate open through the Colorado mountains is crucial for the state’s economy,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol in a recent statement. “In addition to keeping our tourism industries thriving, we also need the corridor to transport goods and life-saving services.”
Colorado’s CMV Chain Law requires all commercial vehicles over 16,001 pounds GVWR to carry four tire chains or approved traction devices between Sept. 1 and May 31. The rule applies to I-70 from Morrison to the Utah state line and several additional state and U.S. highways west of I-25.
In addition, CMVs are now restricted from using left lanes in designated mountainous stretches of I-70, including Glenwood Canyon, Dowd Junction, Vail Pass, Eisenhower–Johnson Tunnels, Georgetown Hill, and Floyd Hill.
Fines for noncompliance include $100 for failing to carry chains, $500 for failing to chain up when required, and $1,000 for blocking traffic due to a lack of traction.
Credit: Source link
