Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Federal Highway Administration and local officials have broken ground on the $806 million I-270 Corridor Improvements project in Adams County, north of Denver.
Source: Colorado Department of Transportation / Governor's Office
Engineering News-Record reported that officials broke ground on October 19 on the first phase of the reconstruction of the roughly six-mile corridor between Interstate 25 and Interstate 70, with Kiewit Infrastructure Co. as construction manager and general contractor for Phase 1.
Source: Engineering News-Record
I-270 was built between 1965 and 1970 and is the only interstate in Colorado that has never received a major upgrade, CDOT says. More than 100,000 vehicles travel it daily, and it links I-25, I-70 and I-76 across the north-metro area, carrying commuters and significant freight.
Two general-purpose lanes and one new express lane that accommodates transit in each direction; replacement of 12 aging bridges; a rebuilt Vasquez Boulevard interchange; a new pedestrian overpass; and improved ramps at I-76. Yaani: $806 million is about $80.6 crore.
The project will be built in three phases. Construction begins this fall with earthwork, followed by major bridge construction in spring 2027. The first phase is expected to conclude in 2030 and the full programme in 2033.
Phase 1 targets eight critical bridges between East 60th Avenue and the South Platte River, spanning the river, Burlington Ditch, Brighton Boulevard and active Union Pacific and BNSF rail lines, ENR reported. CDOT says it has carried out 160 planned maintenance activities and 65 emergency repairs on the corridor's bridges over the past decade.
"Every day, Coloradans count on I-270 to get to work, get home and keep goods moving. These improvements will make I-270 safer, more reliable, and faster for travelers," Governor Polis said. CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said the corridor "carries significant freight, and it is badly in need of investment so that it can do its job safely."
The Denver Focal, a local news outlet, also reported the start of construction, noting that some early work will take place at night to limit disruption for commuters and freight traffic.
Source: The Denver Focal
Residents near the corridor have raised concerns at earlier public hearings about truck traffic and pollution, the Denver Post reported during the approval process — a debate CDOT will keep facing as the seven-year build proceeds through Commerce City and Adams County.