Motorists traveling between Lyons and Estes Park will soon have access to real-time views of traffic and road conditions along U.S. 36.
Crews will begin installing traffic cameras Tuesday, Sept. 8, near McConnell Drive and Broadway/U.S. 36 in Lyons. Work will progress west toward Estes Park and is expected to be completed by December.
Contractor Dillie and Kuhn will install 29 cameras along the corridor. Crews have installed eight camera cabinets during the past two weeks in preparation for the work.
Impacts to motorists are expected to be minimal because most of the installation will take place under shoulder closures. Drivers should slow down, follow posted signs and use caution near work zones.
The cameras will be monitored around the clock by Colorado Department of Transportation operations centers. They will help emergency responders identify incidents, allow transportation officials to manage traffic in real time, and give motorists and snowplow operators current information about road conditions.
The system will also help CDOT monitor a canyon corridor prone to flooding, wildfires, heavy snow, and strong winds. Information collected by the cameras can be used for future transportation planning.
The installation is part of a larger project that began in fall 2025. Crews have installed about 15 miles, or 80,000 feet, of fiber-optic cable along Colorado 66 between Interstate 25 and Lyons.
The fiber network will provide the communications infrastructure needed to operate the cameras, manage traffic equipment and improve communications with emergency services.
Crews statewide will leave work zones by noon Friday, Sept. 4, to accommodate Labor Day weekend traffic. Most construction will resume Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Construction schedules may change due to weather, unforeseen circumstances, or resource availability.
Road conditions and construction information are available at COTrip.org. The public also will be able to view the U.S. 36 camera feeds on the website after the cameras become operational.
Waste of taxpayers’ money when there are more pressing issues requiring funding. Who, specifically, requested this expensive project? Don’t fear Artificial Intelligence, fear government unilaterally seizing your privacy through real-time camera monitoring.