▁in ▁close ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation . ▁By ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁the ▁I - 7 0 ▁cor rid or ▁between ▁Den ver ▁and ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁contained ▁the ▁largest ▁concentration ▁of ▁ski ▁resort s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁towns ▁and ▁cities ▁along ▁the ▁cor rid or ▁have ▁experienced ▁significant ▁growth , ▁l uring ▁recre ational ▁visitors ▁from ▁the ▁Den ver ▁area . ▁As ▁one ▁conservation ist ▁l ament ed , ▁I - 7 0 ▁" changed ▁rural ▁Colorado ▁into ▁non - r ural ▁Colorado ". ▁ ▁One ▁accident ▁at ▁the ▁M ous et rap , ▁a ▁complex ▁inter change , ▁had ▁national ▁ram ifications . ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁a ▁tr uck ▁carrying ▁six ▁tor ped o es ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁over turn ed . ▁The ▁situation ▁was ▁made ▁worse ▁as ▁no ▁one ▁answered ▁at ▁the ▁phone ▁number ▁provided ▁with ▁the ▁cargo , ▁and ▁an ▁unknown ▁liquid ▁was ▁le aking ▁from ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁tor ped o es . ▁It ▁took ▁more ▁than ▁three ▁hours ▁before ▁any ▁military ▁personnel ▁arrived ▁on ▁the ▁scene , ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁personnel ▁from ▁a ▁nearby ▁base . ▁The ▁incident ▁left ▁thousands ▁of ▁cars ▁str and ed ▁and ▁Den ver ' s ▁transport ation ▁network ▁par al yz ed ▁for ▁about ▁eight ▁hours . ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 5 0 ▁residents ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁were ▁ev acu ated . ▁Investig ations ▁later ▁revealed ▁that ▁the ▁tr