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Weekend passes smoothly

Aidan Leonard

SUMMIT COUNTY – On Thursday, 47,255 cars passed through the Eisenhower Tunnel, the fifth-highest number in its history. On Sunday the total hit 45,821 and saw cars jammed from the tunnel’s westbound approach through the twin tunnels near Idaho Springs.

But despite the crush of people flowing into and out of the county, the Fourth of July holiday weekend passed with relative calm.

“All in all, things appeared to go pretty smoothly,” said Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Bob Wilson.



Though Summit County Search and Rescue helped pluck an injured 12-year-old off Peak 8 Saturday, its additional calls all resolved themselves quickly and quietly.

Law enforcement agencies breathed a sigh of relief as well. The weekend sheriff’s report listed 10 people driving under the influence (DUI), one driving while ability impaired (DWAI) and one possible sexual assault, but no other crimes of serious consequence. Summit County Coroner Joanne Richardson said a 78-year-old man from Arizona who suffered a heart attack in Keystone was the weekend’s only fatality.



“For the number of people we had up here, it went off fairly well,” Summit County Sheriff Joe Morales said. “We got through another one OK.”

Aidan Leonard can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 229, or by e-mail at aleonard@summitdaily.com.


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