od . ▁When ▁US   6 ▁was ▁extended , ▁the ▁Works ▁Progress ▁Administration ▁was ▁re building ▁the ▁road ▁through ▁the ▁can y on ▁and ▁the ▁Public ▁Works ▁Administration ▁was ▁near ing ▁completion ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁highway ▁over ▁V ail ▁Pass . ▁In ▁western ▁Colorado , ▁US   6 ▁was ▁rout ed ▁concurrent ▁with ▁US   5 0 ▁from ▁the ▁Ut ah ▁state ▁line ▁to ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁and ▁eventually ▁replaced ▁US   2 4 ▁from ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁to ▁near ▁V ail . ▁To ▁keep ▁these ▁routes ▁over ▁the ▁Rock ies ▁compet itive ▁with ▁alternatives ▁in ▁other ▁states , ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Department ▁of ▁High ways ▁re lied ▁on ▁ing enu ity ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁roads ▁safe . ▁The ▁department ▁pione ered ▁new ▁machines ▁to ▁clear ▁snow ▁and ▁various ▁bridge ▁and ▁cul vert ▁designs ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁roads ▁from ▁flo oding . ▁ ▁Inter state ▁Highway ▁planning ▁ ▁Governor ▁Ed win ▁C . ▁Johnson , ▁for ▁whom ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁t unn els ▁along ▁I - 7 0 ▁was ▁later ▁named , ▁was ▁a ▁primary ▁force ▁in ▁persu ading ▁the ▁pl ann ers ▁of ▁the ▁Inter state ▁Highway ▁System ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁highway ▁across ▁the ▁state . ▁He ▁stated ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁sub comm ittee : ▁ ▁You ▁are ▁going ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁four - lane ▁highway ▁through ▁Wy oming . ▁You ▁are ▁going ▁to ▁build ▁two ▁four - lane ▁high ways ▁through ▁New ▁Mexico ▁and ▁Arizona . ▁Colorado ▁needs ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁our ▁neighbor ing ▁states . ▁We ▁do