Crews are less than a year away from beginning work on the $1.2 billion I-70 expansion project, the largest transportation project in Colorado history that will widen 10 miles of the interstate from Brighton Boulevard to Chambers Road.
More than 12,000 businesses rely on the stretch of I-70 to transport freight, and many business owners in the area believe the traffic relief and improvements are long overdue.
Construction will take four to five years. During construction, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) hopes to keep three lanes of traffic open in each direction. The interstate will only be shut down a handful of times, most often during the overnight hours.
The project also includes a new toll lane aimed at easing congestion.
Some nearby residents are fighting the project from moving forward, as it is estimated that 56 homes and 17 businesses will be demolished to make room for the widened highway.
CDOT is working with High Performance Transportation Enterprise to choose among four developers who will take on the project. The developer will operate and maintain the highway for 30 years. The state will manage and set the toll rates.
------------
Story & image source: KDVR-TV (Denver)
