DENVER (KDVR) -- A lane closure on Pena Boulevard is causing significant delays for some travelers leaving the Denver International Airport this week.

Drivers reported being stuck in traffic for thirty minutes to even an hour between the airport and the junction to Interstate 70 Sunday evening.

The traffic was due to a lane closure that forced the two lanes of Pena Boulevard traffic to merge into one briefly, before both lanes were opened and traffic began flowing as normal again.

A spokesperson for DIA told FOX31 that there is road work underway on the west shoulder of about half a mile of southbound Pena Boulevard near 56th Avenue. The construction is expected to impact traffic through Thursday, with Pena Boulevard being reduced to one lane in the area nightly between 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.

A bulk of the delays have occurred between the area of E-470 and Tower Road to the areas near East 56th Avenue and Green Valley Ranch Boulevard.

Drivers report significant delays leaving DIA

One traveler shared their experience with FOX31 in a post on X and said their trip on Sunday night, which should have taken about 30 minutes, ended up taking nearly an hour. The poster said it took 36 minutes to drive 10 miles before they reached the end of the traffic backups.

"The chokepoint was southbound Peña Blvd before 56th Ave where the right lane was closed down and "roadwork" was supposedly being done. Yet no roadwork was being done when I passed it at 10:37PM. They appeared to be doing something off the road near the road sign before the 56th Ave exit," the traveler said.

The DIA spokesperson explained to FOX31 that the construction work is being done to correct the slope of the shoulder for safety and make the slope compliant with Colorado Department of Transportation regulations.

The traveler said the backup was several miles long. They shared a sped-up video of the drive, which shows stop-and-go traffic behind a long stretch of red brake lights ahead. After several miles, the driver finally passes a spot where one lane is closed with traffic cones, and after that, traffic continues smoothly.

According to the video, the driver reached a maximum speed of 10 mph through the stretch of stop-and-go traffic. A long stretch of red brake lights could be seen illuminated on the road ahead.

How to get around traffic on Pena Boulevard

The spokesperson said the airport is working with Waze to alert travelers to use an alternate route while construction is underway.

While Pena Boulevard is the main route to the airport, there are a few side roads that travelers can use to pass around the traffic. Detour options are limited and they may save more patience than time for drivers.

For those willing to pay, the entry to the E-470 ExpressToll is available just before the traffic backups begin. The road goes south down through Aurora to the junction with Interstate 25 near Meridian and north up to the junction with I-25 near Thornton. Toll rates can be found on the E-470 website.

Tower Road offers an escape just after drivers pass E-470, where traffic has reportedly become congested. Drivers can take Tower Road south through Aurora to the junction of I-70 or north up to 120th Avenue.

Construction work is underway near Jackson Gap Street and 75th Avenue, and the airport said detours will be in place in the area in May and June. Drivers leaving DIA can exit at Jackson Gap Street and head north to 78th Avenue, turn left to reach Gun Club Road and turn right onto eastbound 75th Avenue, which meets with Jackson Gap Street where they can continue south into Aurora.