Project Milestones

Berthoud to Fort Collins

As 2023 came to a close, CDOT and the I-25 North Express Lanes construction crews reached a major milestone on the I-25 North Express Lanes Project: Berthoud to Fort Collins, an approximate 20-mile length of interstate.

Improvements on I-25 between Berthoud and Fort Collins have been underway since 2018. The project involves adding operational, safety, and multi-modal improvements, as well as one tolled express lane in each direction from Colorado Highway 56 to Colorado Highway 14. Additionally, the initiative includes the reconstruction of interchanges and bridges, the integration of intelligent transportation systems on I-25, and the development of new carpool and Bustang transit facilities and services.

Thanks to the hours of work and dedication from the team, as well as the alternative contract delivery methods implemented on this project, the new I-25 North corridor was completed sooner and in a more cost-effective manner. Check out more information on the contract delivery methods here.

Innovations

The center-loaded mobility hubs are a first of its kind in Colorado. To learn more about the I-25 North mobility hubs, follow the links below for detailed information and videos to see how the mobility hubs will work.

The improvements to the new Great Western Railway (GWR) bridge were another exciting project innovation. Check out this detailed video about the GWR to learn more about how the new bridge came to life!

Another innovative bridge project involved moving in the new bridge for the Great Western Railroad bridge at I-25 and Larimer County Road 20, in Loveland. Check out this video for a fast version of how the GWR bridge was built.

This project also included several safety innovations, some of which included removing frontage roads along the I-25 North corridor and building the first Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) in northern Colorado, just to name a few!

Scope

Since 2018, the following improvements have been accomplished on the I-25 North Berthoud to Fort Collins corridor:

A graphic of the I-25 North Berthoud to Fort Collins improvements since 2018 and project accomplishments, including approximately 20 miles of safety and operational improvements in northbound and southbound directions, straightened horizontal and vertical alignment, approximately 20 miles of added Express Lanes in each direction, two new mobility hubs, widened shoulders, added Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) features, two reconstructed ports of entry, 35 reconstructed bridges, five full interchange rebuilds, $904 million program costs.

In between building a safer more efficient I-25, the team also celebrated a variety of life milestones over the last four years. Major project efforts included:

A graphic of the major project efforts, statistics and numbers, including 3,516,721 cubic yards of earthworks, 28,763 feet of steel piling, 1,489,577 square yards of concrete paving, 215, 000 square feet of retaining walls, 7,846,763 pounds of steel in pavement, 35 bridges, 89,726 feet of drainage pipe, five complete interchange reconstructions, 13 water quality ponds, two mobility hubs with Park-n-Ride, 678,000,000 expended in construction costs and the project team milestones, including 48 weddings, 61 babies, 19 graduates, 38 PE licenses obtained, and 40 new pets.

What's next?

The Express Lanes are expected to open as soon as Dec. 15. Although the lanes will be open, intermittent construction activities and lane closures will be in place through 2024. The I-25 North Express Lanes Project final grand opening is scheduled for spring 2024.

CDOT would like the thank:

An image with logos of stakeholders, partners and project team.

Dec. 7, 2023 Ribbon-Cutting Materials

An image of CO 56 “Flip”, located in the I-25 North Segment 6 part of the project. A series of images show the difference between the original configuration (2019), project progress in 2021, and current configuration (November 2023).

An image of CO 60 Diverging Diamond Interchange, located in the I-25 North Segment 6 part of the project. A series of images show the difference between the original configuration (2019), project progress in 2021 and 2023, and current configuration (November 2023).

An image of Ketcher Road, located in the I-25 North Segments 7 and 8 of the project. A series of images show the project before, during the demolition and after the completion.

An image of Prospect Road and CO 402, located in the I-25 North Segments 7 and 8 of the project. A series of images show the project before and after the completion.