How Many Runaway Truck Ramps Are There in Colorado?

If you have ever driven in the mountains of Colorado, you have probably seen what is known as a runaway truck ramp. These ramps are used mainly by semi-trucks that cannot slow down for various reasons.

One of the main reasons that semi-trucks use runaway truck ramps is the loss of brakes on a steep grade coming off a mountain pass. Semi-trucks can gain momentum going down steep hills in Colorado and can cause catastrophic accidents.

READ MORE: This Colorado Interchange Was Once Called The Mousetrap

According to Google, most of the runaway truck ramps constructed in the state of Colorado were built in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These last resort ramps are a one-way trip for semi-trucks, as the big rig vehicles need to be towed out after use.

Get our free mobile app

The runaway truck ramp is not a paved road, nor is it a simple dirt road. These offshoots for semi-trucks that happen to lose their brakes end up in a gravel pit to slow the vehicle down and stop it from smashing into unsuspecting traffic.

How Many Runaway Truck Ramps are Located in Colorado?

Currently, there are 13 runaway truck ramps in the state of Colorado. They are located strategically in areas where highways have steep grades on mountain passes along Interstate 70, U.S. Highway 141, U.S. Highway 551, U.S. Highway 50, and U.S. Highway 160.

According to Denver 7, the most used runaway truck ramp in the nation is located in Summit County, Colorado, on Vail Pass going west on Interstate 70. This runaway truck ramp is used so much that there is someone always on watch.

READ MORE: Where Do Colorado's Interstates Take You?

When a semi-truck uses the runaway truck ramp, it needs to be cleared quickly, because you never know when the next truck needing to utilize this runaway truck ramp will be coming down the hill.