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I-25 North Express Lanes Project Newsletter
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What's planned for this summer on I-25 North
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So, you’re dreaming of that new kitchen, but you don’t want to go through the construction hassle to put it in? Construction, and the impact it brings, is never fun, whether it be a kitchen remodel or road construction, we get it!
I-25 North was at the point where improving it was a necessity and not just a desire. CDOT could not wait any longer to replace the aging infrastructure (70-year-old bridges, undersized drainage culverts, etc.), substandard shoulders and under-capacity interchanges. Much like having to eat out and clean dishes in the bathroom sink during a kitchen remodel, the I-25 North Express Lanes Project: Mead to Berthoud is now in the “ugly duckling” phase where CDOT is asking for patience as work transitions through various traffic phasing to demo the old and replace with the new.
We understand that motorists have experienced a lot of work on the I-25 North corridor in in the past years, in fact, there have been 26 miles worth of improvements! The good news is that 20 miles have been completed, and people are reaping the benefits from an operational and safety standpoint. Traffic moves in a free-flow condition, and the crash rate has dropped by more than 50% when comparing 2024 numbers to the five years prior to starting roadway construction (2014 to 2018). Thank you for your patience as CDOT continues to improve I-25 and accommodate approximately 90,000 vehicles a day that go through the construction zone. Here’s what is on deck for this summer:
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Weld County Road 38 bridge demolition and reconstruction:
The current Weld County Road 38 bridge was built in 1960 and a larger bridge is needed to span the widened I-25 section. The new bridge will have an 8-foot sidewalk to facilitate multi-modal connections over I-25. The new bridge will also be built “on alignment,” which means in the same position as the current bridge.
Usually, when CDOT replaces a bridge, the new bridge is constructed directly adjacent to the old bridge so people can use the old bridge during the construction of the new bridge. The reason for the departure from normal practices at WCR 38 is that Mead is currently working on a new interchange application in this area for review and approval by CDOT and the Federal Highway Administration; a final approval determination is expected in 2026. Multiple utilities exist in this area like waterlines, electrical lines, storm sewer lines, etc., so if the I-25 project elected to build the bridge to the north or south of the original bridge, then many expensive (>$1 million) and lengthy utility relocations would have to occur, requiring their own closures of WCR 38. With the possibility of the new interchange, these same utilities would have to get relocated again within a five-year period (when the possible new interchange is designed and constructed).
CDOT elected to build the bridge on alignment to save taxpayers sizeable money and be a good neighbor to our utility partners by not moving them multiple times within a close duration.
CDOT worked hand in hand with Mead, Weld County, utility companies, emergency response agencies and other partners for more than a year to message the timing and duration of the closure and were met with understanding and support. CDOT acknowledges the six-month bridge outage is a sizeable inconvenience for people that regularly use this route and thanks you for understanding this decision to invest money in permanent infrastructure elsewhere on the project, instead of temporary utility relocations.
CDOT will prioritize keeping the Weld County Road 34 and I-25 interchange open during the WCR 38 bridge closure to help facilitate east/west movement across the interstate. The bridge will be demolished the nights of June 23, June 24, and June 25, so I-25 will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in this area.
Detour routes for the nightly I-25 closures will use state and US highways. CDOT is adjusting traffic signal timing at Colorado Highway 66 to accommodate the increased traffic the closures will cause.
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Weld County Road 34 bridge demolition and reconstruction:
Significant improvements are coming to the WCR 34 interchange, including:
- New roundabouts to the east and west
- A 5-foot bike lane
- An 8-foot sidewalk for safe multimodal travel over the interstate
The WCR 34 interchange will require complex construction phasing due to the sizeable amount of earthwork and paving, as the elevation of the interchange will be raised by approximately six feet. Various road closures will be required, though CDOT is coordinating with the High Plains Boulevard Project teams and a few Little Thompson waterline projects.
High Plains Boulevard is a new arterial roadway being built a 1/2 mile to the east of I-25. Weld County and Mead are constructing this section of new roadway from Weld County Road 32 to Weld County Road 36 to facilitate north/south traffic that once used the existing I-25 Frontage Road. The High Plains project is set for completion in spring 2026 and will provide the necessary detour routes while WCR 34 interchange is under construction.
Due to ongoing coordination by all projects, the timing and length of closures in the WCR 34 interchange vicinity is still a work in progress but will be messaged in advance of detours. The bridge will be demolished the nights of June 18 and 19, so I-25 will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in this area.
WCR 34 and I-25 will be closed the nights of Wednesday, June 18 and Thursday, June 19, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. to demolish the WCR 34 bridge.
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Mainline I-25:
Earthwork and paving will continue on the southbound barrel of I-25 through the summer and fall. This work includes widening the southbound roadway template from 38 feet (two 12-foot lanes, a 4-foot inside shoulder and a 10-foot outside shoulder) to 62 feet (three 12-foot lanes, a 4-foot buffer, a 10-foot inside shoulder and a 12-foot outside shoulder), just like the completed segments to the north.
Please note the climbing lane in the southbound direction from Colorado Highway 56 to WCR 38 will remain in place, so this specific 2.5-mile section will have four 12-foot lanes – three general purpose lanes and one express lane. In winter 2025, northbound and southbound traffic will transition over to the southbound barrel, much like both directions of traffic are located on the northbound barrel now, to complete work on the northbound barrel in 2026.
The project is on time and on budget, despite the very rainy spring Northern Colorado has experienced. Please stay up to date by navigating to Traffic Impacts — Colorado Department of Transportation where you can sign up for email notifications for this project, and others around the state.
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Additional Information
For specific lane closures and traffic impacts from Sunday, June 15 - Saturday, June 21, please use this interactive map on the project webpage. To display full details on the traffic impacts, please click on any of the color-shaded areas on the map to see the full details. A pop-up on the left side of your screen will outline the details of the lane closures.
Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change. Please watch for construction vehicles entering and exiting mainline I-25 and obey all posted signage in construction zones. Your safety and the safety of our crews is our highest priority.
The I-25 North Express Lanes Project provides a Courtesy Patrol during commute hours (6 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.) to assist with disabled vehicles within the Project limits from Johnstown to Fort Collins.
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About the Project
Communities along the I-25 North corridor are expanding rapidly, contributing to major economic growth in northern Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation is supporting this growth by delivering the expansion of I-25 North. Improvements are currently underway along I-25 between Berthoud and Fort Collins (with more to come from Mead to Berthoud).
This project brings economic, environmental and quality of life benefits for northern Coloradans by:
- Making safety improvements to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities.
- Decreasing travel time and increasing trip reliability.
- Reducing emissions and improving freight efficiency.
- Improve congestion and safety.
- Rebuilding aging and obsolete infrastructure.
- Improving bicycle, pedestrian and transit connectivity.
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Copyright © 2023 Colorado Department of Transportation, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Colorado Department of Transportation
2829 W Howard Pl
Denver, CO 80204-2305
You are receiving this email because you requested information regarding construction updates for the I-25 North Express Lanes Project. Update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
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