Icy conditions, strong winds Wednesday again close US 24 east of Colorado Springs but reopens in afternoon

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Wind-driven snow that fell Tuesday night turned into ice and led to the closure of US 24 between Constitution Avenue, east to the town of Limon, for much of Wednesday before it reopened at 3 p.m.

Some local traffic was allowed to travel westbound into Colorado Springs but only snowplows and emergency vehicles were permitted to travel east.

Several semi-trucks lined up behind the the roadblock at Constitution, waiting for the earliest opportunity to continue.

A Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) employee at the roadblock described travel conditions as "a mess," with cars and trucks stuck along the highway.

This is the third storm this wimter that has forced the closure of this same stretch of US 24.

By noon, much of the ice on the pavement had melted or broken apart, making removal easier for snowplows.

Among the drivers waiting to continue on was Mike Sewold, an Arizona retiree who was towing his sailboat to Florida.

"I'm just sitting here, relaxing and getting high on life," he said. "I've been learning how to sail. I'm heading to the (Florida) Keys."

Slowing the highway reopening, officials said, were numerous rescues of stranded drivers who were caught unprepared by the storm.

Taylor Patton was trying to reach his wife, who works in Calhan —30 miles away — and was stranded by the storm.

"She doesn't have gas," he said. "Her workplace doesn't have water because it's on well water and the power is out, so no one can pump gas, either. We didn't know this was hitting last night, or we would have prepared a little bit better."

CDOT said that although the highway has reopened, drivers should watch for icy and snow-packed areas that still exist.