CO 7 Intersection Improvements in Lafayette

About the Project

CDOT is bringing critical improvements to three intersections along the CO 7 corridor in Lafayette: Willow Creek Drive, Park Lake Drive and CO 42 (95th Street). These improvements are made possible through a combination of federal and Boulder County funding.

The CO 7 corridor experiences significant traffic congestion during peak rush hour traffic (specifically westbound in the morning and eastbound in the evenings), resulting in backups, unreliable travel times and safety concerns. There are approximately 30,000 trips through this area each day, with travelers witnessing automobile-related crashes every two weeks on average. Improvements will help reduce congestion, increase safety and provide better facilities for multimodal travel.

Improvements will begin at the intersections of Willow Creek Drive and Park Lake Drive with the addition of dedicated left-turn lanes. The larger intersection of CO 7 and CO 42 (Arapahoe Road and 95th Street) will be widened and gain transit-priority lanes, longer turn lanes, improved shared-use paths and signalized pedestrian crossings.

Utility relocations and other pre-construction activities began in October 2026. Construction will begin at Willow Creek in early November 2026 and move east along CO 7 as the project progresses. Work is anticipated to be complete in late 2027.

Project Facts

  • Construction Cost: $10.6 million
  • Contractor: Zak Dirt
  • Timeline: October 2026 to late 2027
  • Location: CO 7 
    • Nearest Town/City: Lafayette
    • Mile Point(s): MP 58 to MP 60
    • County: Boulder
Map of the CO 7 intersection improvements in Lafayette.
Map of the CO 7 Intersections Improvements in Lafayette, highlighting the Willow Creek Drive, Park Lake Drive and 95th Street project areas.

Project Benefits

  • Willow Creek Drive and Park Lake Drive:
    • Add dedicated left-turn lanes to separate turning vehicles from through traffic
    • Upgrades to surrounding curbs, sidewalks, and pedestrian ramps to improve accessibility in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements
  • CO 42 (95th Street):
    • Add transit-priority lanes and upgraded bus platforms to improve Regional Transportation District (RTD) service and reliability
    • Add east-west travel lanes and lengthen turn lanes to reduce congestion and delays
    • Build 12-foot-wide shared-use paths and signalized, ADA-accessible crossings
    • Improve connections to nearby businesses and neighborhoods with a dedicated pedestrian crossing at Dagny Way

Work Schedule

  • Work hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday

Traffic Impacts

Motorists can expect the following impacts during the period of construction:

  • Traffic will be shifted to the south at Willow Creek Drive and Park Lake Drive
  • Temporary barriers will be in place to help direct and separate traffic from the work zones
  • Business and resident access will be maintained
  • Refer to COtrip.org for real-time travel conditions and road closures