Denver: Overturned Construction Equipment Causes Major Delays on Southbound I-25

An overturned shuttle buggy caused significant traffic delays on southbound Interstate 25 in Denver early Wednesday morning. The incident, which took place around 4:30 a.m. near Park Avenue, reduced the highway to one lane, creating severe slowdowns for morning commuters.

By 6:30 a.m., the drive time from 104th Avenue to downtown Denver reached nearly two hours, according to Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber. During the peak of the morning rush hour, traffic on side streets, including Federal Boulevard, N. Pecos Street, and Washington Street, became heavily congested as drivers sought alternative routes.

Traffic experts recommended using York Street to bypass the bottleneck on I-25. As the situation unfolded, approximately at 10 a.m., all but one lane of southbound I-25 was closed for safety reasons, exacerbating the existing delays.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reported that the overturned shuttle buggy weighed around 80,000 pounds, complicating its removal from the highway. Crews worked diligently to right the buggy and clean up hydraulic fluid that leaked from the equipment.

By 12:23 p.m., approximately eight hours after the initial incident, the shuttle buggy was finally cleared from the highway. Despite the lengthy road closure, CDOT confirmed that construction crews had been delayed in removing traffic cones from a resurfacing project. This additional hold-up contributed to the extensive delays experienced that morning.

Aerial footage captured the scale of the traffic backups, which extended for miles, effectively trapping many commuters in long lines as they attempted to navigate the affected area. The aftermath of the incident highlighted the impact of construction-related equipment failures on daytime traffic.

In response to the event, CDOT announced plans to conduct an after-action review with the project teams and contractors involved. This review aims to identify the causes of the delays and ensure improved management of construction equipment on the highways in the future.

The swift assessment and planning for improved protocols demonstrate a commitment from CDOT to minimize similar disruptions on Denver’s heavily traveled roadways moving forward.