I-70 Floyd Hill Project Update

Next week, crews will conduct rock scaling operations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17. Motorists can expect up to six, 20-minute traffic holds on eastbound and westbound I-70 and on US 40 approximately every 75 minutes between Homestead Road (exit 247) and US 6 (exit 244) interchanges. The traffic holds could result in up to 45 minutes of delay as the queue clears. During the traffic holds, we recommend you turn off your vehicle to help with air quality. For updates on rock scaling/blasting and traffic impacts, text floydhill (one word, lowercase) to 21000.

Beginning at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13, the eastbound and westbound I-70 Mountain Express Lanes (MEXL) will be closed for two weeks as crews relocate tolling infrastructure to prepare for construction in the West Section (Hidden Valley interchange to eastern Idaho Springs) of the I-70 Floyd Hill Project.

I-70 Mountain Express Lane Closures

• From 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13, to 6 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 28, the eastbound and westbound I-70 Mountain Express Lanes (MEXL) will be closed as crews move the tolling infrastructure in preparation for upcoming work in the West Section of the Project. This includes I-70 MEXL closures over two full weekends — Friday, Oct. 13 to Sunday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 20 to Sunday, Oct. 22 — and a partial third-weekend closure on Friday, Oct. 27. After the hard closure is completed early Saturday, Oct. 28, nightly closures of MEXL are anticipated to complete the work. 

Rock Scaling Impacts

• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17 - Crews will conduct rock scaling operations between Homestead Road (exit 247) and US 6 (exit 244) interchanges. Crews will wait until traffic is flowing at normal speeds before continuing with rock scaling operations. 

I-70 Lane and Shoulder Closures

• From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 16 through Wednesday, Oct. 18, expect right shoulder closures and flaggers on the Homestead Road on-ramp to westbound I-70 (exit 247) for drainage work. 
• Overnight left lane closures on westbound and eastbound I-70 between Soda Creek Road (exit 240) and Hidden Valley (exit 243) for work in the median.
  • Westbound I-70: 
    • 7 p.m. to 8 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 15 through Saturday, Oct. 21. 
  • Eastbound I-70: 
    • 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 15. and Saturday, Oct. 21.
    • 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday, Oct.16 through Thursday, Oct. 19.
    • 7 p.m. to 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 20.
• Daytime right shoulder closures on westbound and eastbound I-70 between Soda Creek Road (exit 240) and Hidden Valley (exit 243) for electrical work.
  • Daytime 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 16 through Friday, Oct. 20. 

Clear Creek Greenway Trail Closure

• On Monday, Oct. 2, the I-70 Floyd Hill Project began a long-term closure of a portion of the Clear Creek Greenway trail between the US 6 (exit 244) and Hidden Valley (exit 243) interchanges for construction and utility work in this area. This work is scheduled to last until spring 2024, but trail users can expect ongoing trail impacts and closures through 2026. This portion of the trail will be an active construction zone and will be unsafe for multi-use travel. Other segments of the trail will remain open. For up-to-date information visit bit.ly/ccgreenway.

I-70 Floyd Hill Design Work

• 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Friday, Oct. 20 - The eastbound I-70 off-ramp to US 6 (exit 244) will be closed for geotechnical work.

Early Project Update - US 40 Roundabouts

• Due to weather, the full closure of US 40 east of County Road 65 will continue until 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 16 so crews can complete paving.
• From 7 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17, to 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27, US 40 from Homestead Road to the Floyd Hill Open Space trailhead will be closed. Motorists and cyclists must use I-70 instead of US 40 to travel. This closure will allow crews to complete storm sewer work, soil nail wall construction and roadway construction.

I-70 Mountain Corridor-Wide Traffic Impacts

• Reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph, narrower lanes and shoulders, and increased truck traffic entering and exiting the work zones. Heed the speed limit, do not follow trucks into the work zone, go slow for the cone zone and do not drive distracted. 
• Motorists should expect daytime and nighttime shoulder closures on westbound I-70 for utility work.
• All construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change. For real-time travel information, visit COTrip.org.

About the Project

The I-70 Floyd Hill Project will improve eight miles of the I-70 mountain corridor, from west of Evergreen to eastern Idaho Springs. The Project will deliver a third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane bottleneck. Other major elements include constructing a missing two-mile section of the frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho Springs, building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for slow-moving vehicles, improving traffic flow and access at interchanges and intersections within the project limits, improving sight distance on roadway curves, improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail, and implementing environmental mitigation to create safer wildlife movements and improve air and water quality, stream conditions and recreation.

Construction began in July 2023 and is expected to conclude in late 2028.