Environmental Document signed for New Pueblo Freeway

August 15, 2013 - Southeastern Colorado/CDOT Region 2 - DENVER – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) signed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for improvements to Interstate 25 through Pueblo Thursday, August 15th.

Signing the completed document is required before the formal 30-day comment period on the FEIS can begin.  The comment phase begins September 13, 2013, and continues through October 13, 2013.

During the comment period, a public hearing on the FEIS will be held in Pueblo.  It is scheduled for October 3.

Once the FEIS is approved and there is a Record of Decision, CDOT can proceed with initial construction on the New Pueblo Freeway.  The first planned project is the replacement of the Ilex Street Bridge, currently scheduled to begin in spring 2014.

The purpose of the New Pueblo Freeway project is to improve safety through the city on I-25 by replacing deteriorating roadways and bridges, and improving local and regional mobility to meet existing and future travel demands.  Some key improvements include:

  • Widening the highway to three lanes in each direction
  • Straightening I-25 through downtown
  • Reconstructing interchanges to improve safety and traffic flow
  • Adding or widening shoulders
  • Constructing trails and bridges to enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety

Additional information regarding the public hearing will be forthcoming in September.