Foes of plans to rebuild Interstate 70 in northeast Denver are throwing everything they can think of at the idea. They are determined to force the state to scrap its $1.8 billion proposal to tear down, lower, cover and widen the freeway.
The latest argument from John Prosser, professor emeritus at the University of Colorado’s College of Architecture and Planning, claims the state’s trench design would create “the world’s longest and widest lap pool.”
Prosser called the plan a disaster and predicted massive flooding. He and others want the state to tear up its plans and re-route I-70 north out of Denver to the corridor occupied by I-270 and I-76.
Yet the state barely has enough money for its present plan. Rerouting I-70 would drive up the price tag to $4 billion, the state insists. Sorry, but it’s a non-starter.
Moreover, Colorado Department of Transportation project director Peter Kozinski can point to the state’s success at resolving I-25’s flooding issues with the T-Rex project. He promises flooding on a rebuilt I-70 will not occur.
Kozinski’s team includes experts on urban drainage and flood control who have worked with engineers from the city to develop a system they say will not fail.
The proposed I-70 structure would upgrade the current antiquated roadway and could withstand anything below a 100-year flood event, Kozinski told us.
The proposal includes catchment basins, or ponds, to hold excess water and twin 10-by-15-foot box culverts that would discharge to the South Platte around the Denver Coliseum.
Rainwater from the highway would flow to the lowest point around York Street and be gravity-fed through pipes to a treatment plant before being discharged.
“We have thought long and hard,” Kozinski said. “We are not going to design anything that is remotely going to clog up. We know it will work.”
See for yourself or voice your opinion at the project’s final open house from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Bruce Randolph Middle School, 3955 Steele St., in Denver.
