I-70 Floyd Hill Project Update

Heads Up! Watch for a new traffic pattern in the West Section of the Project on I-70 between Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway (Exit 243) and Colorado Boulevard/Idaho Springs (Exit 241). Traffic is shifting toward the outside shoulders on eastbound and westbound I-70 to make room for crews to work in the median. The eastbound I-70 traffic shift is scheduled for tonight, April 12. The westbound I-70 traffic shift is scheduled for Sunday, April 14. Please pay extra attention and watch for narrower lanes and shoulders as you navigate I-70 in the West Section of the Project. Speeds are reduced to 45 mph in the area.

I-70 Lane and Shoulder Closures

• Expect overnight, single-lane closures on eastbound I-70 between Colorado Boulevard/Idaho Spring (Exit 241) and Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway (Exit 243) for barrier installation in the West Section of the Project.
  • 9 p.m., Sunday, April 14, to 6 a.m., Monday, April 15
  • 7 p.m., Monday, April 15, to 6 a.m., Tuesday, April 16
• Expect overnight, single-lane closures on westbound I-70 between Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway (Exit 243) and Colorado Boulevard/Idaho Springs (Exit 241) for a traffic shift and barrier installation in the West Section of the Project.
  • 6 p.m., Sunday, April 14, to 6 a.m., Monday, April 15
  • 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.,  Monday, April 15, and Tuesday, April 16
• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, April 15, through Friday, April 19 - Expect daytime right shoulder closures on westbound I-70 between Homestead Road (Exit 247) and US 6 (Exit 244).
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, April 15, through Friday, April 19 - Expect daytime, left shoulder closures on westbound I-70 between the Veteran Memorial Tunnels and Hidden Valley (Exit 243).

US 40 Traffic Impacts

• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, April 15, through Friday, April 19 - Expect alternating, single-lane traffic on US 40 between County Road 65 and the US 6 interchange for utility work.

National Work Zone Awareness Week 

National Work Zone Awareness Week is from Monday, April 15, through Friday, April 19, and is an annual spring campaign to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. This year’s message is, “Work zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.” Please pay attention and adhere to the work zone speed limit when traveling through construction areas. Slow down and leave extra space between you and the car in front of you. Be aware of your surroundings and drive safely for you and the crews working in the field. 

To honor those who have lost their lives, raise awareness and show support for work zone safety, we invite you to wear orange on Wednesday, April 17, for #GoOrangeDay. For more information or to get involved with National Work Zone Awareness Week, please visit the National Work Zone Awareness Week webpage.

Clear Creek Greenway Trail Closure

The Clear Creek Greenway trail remains closed 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 the end of 2027 as crews complete trail improvements and use the trail as an equipment staging area to complete bridge construction. This one-mile 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.

An on-demand courtesy shuttle began Monday, April 8, and will continue until Sept. 30, 2024, operating seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., to bypass the closure. There will be a pick-up/drop-off location at the east and west ends of the trail closure. Once you arrive at either end of the trail closure, dial 720-760-2718 and the shuttle will pick you up and drive you to the opposite side. Please plan ahead and visit the Clear Creek Greenway Trail webpage for more information on the shuttle service. 

Early and Other Projects Update

Eastbound and westbound I-70 between Genesee (Exit 254) and Mile Point 255 - Expect daytime, left-lane closures on westbound I-70, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, April 15 through Thursday, April 18, and on eastbound I-70, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, April 15 through Thursday, April 18. To learn more about the Genesee Wildlife Crossing project, visit the project website here.

Westbound I-70 Off-Ramp to County Road 65 - Please plan ahead for a four-day closure of the westbound I-70 off-ramp to County Road 65 (Exit 248), starting at 7 a.m., Monday, April 22, through 5 p.m., Thursday, April 25. During the closure, crews will remove the existing pavement, pave with new asphalt, build curb and gutter, and install lighting. Work is weather dependent and subject to change. To detour, motorists should exit westbound I-70 at El Rancho (Exit 252) to use westbound US 40.

I-70 Floyd Hill Deconstructed Video Series

Get an inside look at the various people and construction activities that contribute to the building of the I-70 Floyd Hill Project by watching the “I-70 Floyd Hill Deconstructed” video series.

Click on the links below to learn more! 

• Retaining walls and creating a match mountain aesthetic
• Winter construction and driving
• 2023 Year-End Review
• Project Design

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.