Floyd Hill Early Projects

Several early projects were identified during the Floyd Hill Environmental Assessment process that could be advanced prior to the main I-70 Floyd Hill project. These Early Projects include community and environmental mitigation elements that can be constructed ahead of the larger project to help improve safety and mobility. 

Map of the five I-70 Floyd Hill Early Projects locations and titles, which include the US 40 Empire Wildlife Overpass, the US 40 and Homestead Road Roundabout, the US 40 and County Road 65 Roundabout, the Pegasus Transit Shuttle Stop and the I-70 and Genesee Wildlife Underpass.
I-70 Floyd Hill Early Projects Map

I-70 El Rancho Pegasus Transit Shuttle Stop – Current Construction

The I-70 El Rancho Pegasus Shuttle Stop project will build a new Pegasus shuttle stop and 40-spot parking lot for transit users on the I-70 mountain corridor, adding another location to the Pegasus shuttle network. Crews will also install infrastructure to facilitate future electric vehicle charging.

Road Closures and Blasting operations:

To install a new stormwater line, full closures of US 40 and the westbound I-70 on-ramp at Exit 251 will be in required, and an accompanying blast will be utilized to break up rock, the blast will take place just north of I-70 at El Rancho (Exit 251) along US 40.

  • From 8 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10, until 8 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11, a full closure of US 40 will be in place north of I-70 at El Rancho (Exit 251)
    • Southbound US 40 traffic will continue on US 40 to County Road 65 then go eastbound on I-70 to El Rancho (Exit 251)
    • Northbound US 40 traffic will go westbound on I-70 to County Road 65 (Exit 248) to access US 40
  • From 8 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11, until 8 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 12, the US 40 at El Rancho (Exit 251) on-ramp to westbound I-70 will be closed
    • Southbound US 40 traffic will continue on US 40, go east on Evergreen Parkway to join eastbound I-70 then use Chief Hosa (Exit 253) to go westbound on I-70
    • Northbound US 40 traffic will continue on US 40 to Homestead Road to access westbound I-70 (Exit 247)
  • An accompanying blast will occur, Tuesday, Sept. 10 at approximately 10 a.m.
    • Motorists can expect traffic holds of up to 20 minutes long and delays up to 45 minutes as the traffic queues clear.
    • Traffic holds: Eastbound I-70 traffic will be stopped just east of County Road 65 (Exit 248). Westbound I-70 traffic will be stopped at the Genesee Wildlife Crossing (between Exits 254 and 256). US 40 traffic will be stopped north and south of I-70.
Map depicting the rock blasting location near I-70 and El Rancho (Exit 251) along with the eastbound and westbound I-70 traffic hold locations
Map depicting the rock blasting location near I-70 and El Rancho (Exit 251) along with the eastbound and westbound I-70 traffic hold locations.

Benefits of this shuttle service include:

  • Daily service between the Denver area and I-70 mountain corridor communities
  • Shuttle can use the I-70 Mountain Express Lanes west of Idaho Springs
  • Shuttle will be able to use the future I-70 Express Lanes being built as part of the I-70 Floyd Hill Project
  • Support for future electric vehicle charging at the Pegasus parking lot

Estimated Schedule:

  • Construction: July to December 2024
  • Project Cost: $4 Million
  • Contractor: Kraemer North America

US 40 & Floyd Hill Roundabouts - Project Update

The US 40 & Floyd Hill Roundabouts project has reached substantial completion.
Work began in December 2022 and consisted of building two single-lane roundabouts at the intersections of US 40 and Homestead Road, and US 40 and County Road 65. This project was one of the I-70 Floyd Hill Early Projects advanced to improve traffic flow and safety.

In addition to the intersection reconstruction, crews made storm drain improvements, added lighting around the roundabouts, and bicycle-specific signage and pavement markings to enhance safety for cyclists. The roundabout location at US 40 and Homestead Road now has a bypass lane, allowing westbound US 40 travelers to bypass the roundabout if they don’t need to access the Floyd Hill neighborhood or I-70.

US 40 Homestead Finished Roundabouts
US 40 and Homestead Road Finished Roundabout

What this means for travelers:

  • When entering the roundabout, yield to traffic already navigating it.
  • When a safe gap is available, merge into the roundabout going
    counterclockwise.
  • As you travel the roundabout, pay attention to signage and merging vehicles. Once you safely enter the roundabout, you are allowed the right-of-way, meaning you don’t stop to allow other vehicles to enter. That being said, please pay attention to inexperienced roundabout travelers.
  • When you reach your desired exit point, signal to alert fellow travelers that you are exiting the roundabout, then safely move out of it.
  • Pay attention to cyclists or pedestrians navigating the roundabout and make note of pavement markings and signage.

For more information about safely navigating a roundabout, check out the Colorado Roundabouts educational video.

Wildlife Crossings

I-70 & Genesee Wildlife Underpass - Complete

Work has been completed on the I-70 and Genesee Wildlife Underpass project, which included constructing a wildlife underpass at approximately I-70 Mile Point 254.5, between the exits for Lookout Mountain and Genesee. This area has been identified as a hotspot for wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) and has the highest number of WVCs on I-70 east of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnel. Wildlife fencing was placed along both sides of I-70 (north and south) and extends from the I-70 and Genesee Exit (Exit 254) to the I-70 and Lookout Mountain Exit (Exit 256).

Draft rendering of I-70 Genesee wildlife crossing

I-70 & Genesee Wildlife Underpass

US 40 Empire Wildlife Overpass - In Design

The US 40 Empire Wildlife Overpass project plans to construct a wildlife overpass on US 40 at approximately Mile Point 257 which is near the I-70 and US 40 Empire Interchange (I-70 Exit 232). The wildlife overpass will allow safe connectivity for the largest bighorn sheep herd in the state of Colorado as well as reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Wildlife fencing will be placed along both sides of US 40 (north and south) and extend to the town of Empire and south on County Road 257. This project also plans to apply rockfall mitigation designs and fencing adjacent to the wildlife crossing structure.

Estimated Schedule:

  • Construction Fall 2023-Spring 2025
  • Project Cost: Estimated $7M-$10M
  • Contractor: TBD

Rendering of US 40 Empire wildlife crossing

US 40 Empire Wildlife Overpass Rendering