Cyclists will no longer have to travel along the shoulder of Interstate 70 when heading into the mountains now that a new bike path is open in Genesee Park.

The 2.4-mile stretch of the Interstate 70 Bike Path runs from the Genesee Park interchange at exit 254 to the Evergreen Parkway. Before the Sept. 28 opening of the paved bikeway, cyclists would have to travel on I-70 while riding west toward Glenwood Springs or returning from the mountains.

“It was a big safety issue. Having a bike on the interstate is insanity anyway, but it was the only alternative for some people,” said Bob Wilson, communications manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

This was previously the only stretch where cyclists had to ride along I-70 between Denver and Glenwood Springs. The rest of the way, bike riders can use old highways that serve as frontage roads, such as U.S. 40.

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