The Colorado Department of Transportation plans to have the westbound Interstate 70 express lane built by late November and open for testing during the 2020-21 ski season.
Starting Monday, CDOT will be extending single-lane closures in both directions along the project corridor between the Veterans Memorial Tunnels and Empire Junction. The closures, which will last until mid-November, will vary based on the direction and day of the week, CDOT Project Manager Jeff Hampton said Friday.
The majority of the construction activity will be in the Idaho Springs area, and motorists can expect up to 30-minute delays, especially in the afternoons.
The eastbound express lane will also be closed starting Monday for construction activity.
The closures will allow crews to complete the final asphalt paving before colder temperatures arrive and to shorten the window in which plows would have to navigate the construction zone, Hampton explained.
While the exact position of the closure will vary as the project progresses, Hampton said the westbound single-lane closure schedule will be:
- 1 p.m. to 9 a.m. Mondays through Wednesdays;
- 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Thursdays;
- 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Fridays;
- 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Saturdays; and
- 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sundays.
Similarly, the eastbound single-lane closures will be:
- 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays;
- 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. on Fridays;
- 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturdays; and
- 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sundays.
Motorists are asked to drive slowly and remain vigilant through the construction zone, and check for delays and road conditions ahead of time on cotrip.org.
To sign up for text alerts about the project, text wbi70 to 21000.
For more information, visit i70mtn.codot.gov, call the project hotline at 720-828-8299, or email cdot_wbppslproject@state.co.us.