Barack Obama To Close Colorado's Busiest Road

Democrat Presidential nominee Barack Obama decided months ago that twenty thousand screaming delegates to the Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center were not enough to feed his ego.  So, Barack Obama moved his Democratic National Convention acceptance speech to Invesco Field along the I-25 corridor.  Today, the Post reports that CDOT will close I-25 for the Barack Obama lovefest.

A 5.5 mile section of Interstate 25 will close during the Democratic National Convention event at Invesco Field at Mile High on Thursday, August 28, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

"I-25 will be closed for just a short period of time but it's necessary to ensure a safe event for attendees," said CDOT Executive Director Russ George in a statement. "While we recognize that motorists traveling through the area will likely experience some delay, we are doing everything possible to keep those delays to a minimum."

The interstate will be closed from the interchange with I-70 to the interchange with Sixth Avenue starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. Aug. 28.

The highway will remain closed until conclusion of the event.

When CDOT states that "motorists traveling through the area will likely experience some delay," CDOT is severely understating the problem.  I-25 just south of I-70 is the busiest roadway in Colorado.  According to the 2007 CDOT statistics, the average annual daily traffic between 6th Avenue and I-70 ranges from 203,000 to 258,000 vehicles per day.  The vast majority of these hit I-25 during the morning and evening rush hours.  Closing I-25 at 5:30 will send multiple thousands of travelers onto side streets, effectively gridlocking the city.

I previously predicted that I-25 would close during the convention.  When one is stuck in non-moving traffic on August 28, remember to thank Barack Obama and his ego for your delay.  Or, follow my plan and avoid downtown Denver like the plague during the Democratic National Convention.

by Civil Sense