(PUEBLO, Colo.) — A train derailment on Sunday, Oct. 15 has led to a catastrophic traffic jam along Interstate 25, resulting in an agonizing ordeal for countless motorists. The incident has crippled one of the region’s primary transportation arteries and left commuters stranded for hours.

Traffic along I-25, both inbound and outbound from Pueblo, has come to a grinding halt, extending as far as the eye can see in either direction. Frustrated travelers have been experiencing seemingly endless delays, with some reporting that a mere three-mile stretch southbound leading up to the detour has taken hours to traverse.

Detour options can be found at the bottom of this article.

Motorists bound for destinations ranging from Pueblo to Arizona and Texas find themselves ensnared in this never-ending gridlock, with little hope of respite on the horizon.

“It says that I’m about 15 miles away from home, but it’s still saying another 45 minutes,” lamented motorist Jeanie Johnson, highlighting the extent of the traffic nightmare.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has stated that cleanup efforts cannot commence until the National Transportation Safety Board completes its investigation into the train derailment. Once clean-up does start, they say it will take approximately two days.

This delay has left travelers in a state of uncertainty, and even those who thought they were prepared for the situation, weren’t.

“I expected there to be a traffic jam, but nothing like this… I left about half an hour early, but it looks like it should have been longer,” Stan Realford commented.

The traffic is so immobilized that at times it resembles a parking lot rather than a highway.

“I feel like I’ve been here for days,” said Nancy Marzuola, who had only a 10-minute drive to her home from where she was in traffic but could see nothing but a sea of cars ahead.

While some were inconvenienced by the traffic, others, such as truck driver Darryl Hurtt who was on his way to Arizona, faced professional repercussions. “It cuts into my clock. I only get so many hours to drive in a day, and it’s affecting how far I’ll get,” he said.

For some, the traffic jam was more than just an inconvenience. Michael Norris, who relies on dialysis, expressed concern about missing his medical appointment.

“The crud will build up in my blood, and I get sick… It’s not life-threatening, but it would have some adverse effects,” he explained.

In light of the ongoing chaos, travelers are offering a word of caution to those contemplating a journey on I-25.

“If you don’t have to come to Pueblo, I would recommend just skipping it today,” advised Debbie Blake, echoing the sentiments of many.

Detour options can be found below:

Local Traffic Detour Routes:

Motorists who may be south of Fountain and traveling southbound on I-25 toward the City of Pueblo will be detoured to exit 110 toward Overton Road and then toward Jerry Murphy; motorists will then head toward I-25 via westbound Colorado Highway 47

Suggested Through Traffic Detour Routes:

Northbound: Motorists traveling northbound are advised to exit I-25 at US 50/CO 47 and travel west toward CO 115. Motorists will then head north toward Colorado Springs

Southbound: Motorists in the Colorado Springs area traveling southbound are advised to take Colorado Highway 115 toward Penrose and then proceed east on US Highway 50 toward the City of Pueblo

Suggested Wide-load Detour Routes:

Vehicles over 11 feet wide should seek alternate highway routes as CO 115 has current width restrictions in place

Eastbound: Drive east via US 50 or CO 96 to CO 71

Westbound: Drive west on US 50 and then use US 285