Friday’s spring snowstorm, though expected, still wreaked havoc on Interstate 70 as slide-offs, crashes and at least one commercial truck driver caused at least two closures on the eve of the busy holiday weekend.

Plus, transportation officials said, some drivers have made matters worse by not quickly getting out of the way when their cars skid or spin out of control and stall.

Still, some have blamed truckers, particularly those who don’t follow a state requirement to carry chains from Sept. 1 to May 31. The resort town of Vail adopted even heftier fines for drivers who don’t carry chains on Vail Pass or who spin out of control and block traffic following a chain violation.

Truckers, on the other hand, wondered why the government’s favored strategy is to raise fines, arguing Colorado already levies some of the highest penalties in the country and chaining up carries its own risks.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, at least one commercial truck driver was cited for failing to comply with the chain law on Friday.

Since Oct. 1, there have been 139 events that caused a full closure of at least one or both directions of I-70 — 89 of those were safety closures performed by the transportation department or the Colorado State Patrol.

Vail Pass saw 82 closures, 46 of which were safety closures, according to the transportation agency.

The situation has more than frustrated motorists on the way to skiing or on vacation in the mountain towns, as well as commuters using the corridor to get to and from metro Denver and travelers passing through.

Transportation officials estimate a $2 million negative economic impact for every hour the major trucking route is closed.

“It’s really a frustrating situation,” said Matt Inzeo, communications director for the Colorado Department of Transportation. “Many are prepared at the height of ski season, but with the warm weather lately, we’re seeing multiple trucks with no chains who have spun out.”

“There’s a reason state law requires truckers keep chains in their vehicles all the way to Memorial Day,” he said.

The Town of Vail passed a new law in March allowing police to issue citations with fines heavier than what the state imposes on CMV operators that don’t carry chains. The local code mirrors the state law.

The official reason? The town is fed up with what officials described as increasing traffic load and ill-prepared — or ill-equipped — motorists and truckers causing highway closures and gridlock.

Some truckers, meanwhile, have decried the additional fines, saying they need help from the state, not another crackdown.

One trucker got the maximum $2,650 fine for not chaining up, sliding off the road and crashing into another car — closing the interstate.

“This season is by far the worst,” said Vail Police Chief Ryan Kenney. “The impacts to the town far increased this year. The amount of time we spent gridlocked this winter was far greater than any time since I’ve been here.”

And he’s been around for eight years, the chief said.

Vail police have issued 111 citations alleging chain violations — 59 under the town’s new code. Of those 111, 91 truckers had the chains but refused to put them on. Twenty had no chains, Kenney said.

It’s not just a matter of the inconvenience of sitting in gridlock traffic, Kenney said. Vail only has one hospital to serve Eagle County. If I-70 is closed, traffic gridlocked through Dowd Canyon west of Vail forces ambulances to take patients to Glenwood Springs.

“I want to emphasize that this is not Vail doing a money grab, or creating a problem that doesn’t exist,” Kenney said. “This is Vail trying to protect our residents and guests. When someone comes to Vail, if they get injured they expect they can get to the hospital. When their vacation is done, they expect to get back to the airport.”

Kenney added, “This is not Vail going after truck drivers.”

“Drivers are good people who work hard,” he said. “It’s more about the trucking industry and how its pushing their drivers to a location faster and faster.”

The head of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association disputed claims that companies have been more focused on delivering with speed and less with safety in mind.

Companies, the association said, are not giving bonuses for early or on time delivery, or paying for citation fines for chain-up violations.

“We take safety very seriously,” said CMCA President Greg Fulton, noting that Colorado levies the highest fines for such violations of any state. “We support the chain law … Trucks that are not chained when the chain law is in effect can pose a problem and we do not condone this.”

“I will also note that I know of no company who encourages their drivers to ignore the chain law nor of any companies who pays the fine for those drivers,” he added. “Our companies are committed to safety and paying fines for drivers for failing to chain, speeding, or other traffic violations is contrary to those principles.”

Complicating the issue is that drivers have been killed while chaining up, there are not enough places for drivers to pull off safely to chain up or get some rest, the chains often snap and risk wrapping around the axle or puncturing a vessel carrying flammable liquids, for example, Fulton said.

“For some, it seems the only strategy is raising fines,” he said.

Colorado State Patrol Capt. John Hahn, head of the Motor Carriers Safety Section, said commercial vehicle crashes are down this season and troopers have seen a 90% compliance rate among truckers carrying chains and using them.

“It’s a complex environment on I-70 and there are several solutions, not just roadside enforcement,” Hahn said.

The efforts start with a public safety campaign at the start of “must carry” season from September through May, including an education outreach to the trucking industry. There are checks at ports of entry, and drivers are alerted to winter conditions and chain laws when they cross into Colorado from the west, or as they leave metro Denver heading west.

“It’s not just about writing tickets,” Hahn said. “CSP takes a collaborative approach and works closely with the trucking industry. They’ve been a good partner to help solve this issue.”

The officer added: “The vast majority of trucks using Colorado roads are getting it right. That doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do, but that only happens with collaboration.”

And trucks aren’t the only problem.

Many motorists don’t comply with passenger vehicle regulations requiring all-wheel drive or with chain and tire restrictions. They can spin out, forcing a trucker to stop and, in that process, potentially lose traction, Hahn said.

Tourists come from other states in all-wheel drive rent vehicles — but not snow tires, Kenney said.

“It’s very complex when there’s a lack of another route and when weather is not particularly great,” Hahn said. “That’s also the time people want to go up and ski around.”

Inzeo, the communications director for transportation agency, raised another problem — motorists who won’t quickly get out of the way if their vehicle skids and blocks traffic.

“At this point, we are actually engaging with law enforcement agencies because we have people who are blocking lanes of traffic and are refusing to pay to get their vehicles towed out of the way,” Inzeo said. “So, this is quickly turning from an operational situation to a law enforcement one.”

Denver Gazette partner 9News contributed to this report.