Those detours in many cases have truck drivers using Interstate 80 through Wyoming. For drivers heading east and west there are a limited number of options.
"You know, there are only two east-west corridors of any substantial nature in the country. One is I-80 and the other one is I-70, so you take that one element out of there and you really add a tremendous amount of distance," Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, said.
That added distance and travel time is translating into increased costs for truck drivers. Kim Kruse is supposed to deliver a truck load of flowers to Grand Junction from Florida. If he re-routes the delivery through Wyoming, the additional fuel costs could be as much as $300.
"I hope they get it cleaned up because if they don't clear that up, I'll have to come all the way up through Wyoming and that takes another eight to nine hours," Kruse said.
Either way, Kruse says he will get the shipment to Grand Junction, but eventually, the cost of doing business has to be paid by someone.
"Somewhere this translates into additional costs at the end of the day and that's going to impact all of us," Fulton said.
While word spread quickly to truck drivers via their dispatch centers and most were able to quickly re-route trips, there were a few exceptions. Two drivers were eastbound on I-70 near Glenwood Springs when the rockslide occurred. They were forced to turn around and head back to Utah before traveling north to I-80 and resuming their trip east.
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