Bridge Deck Rehabilitation to Cause Delays on Westbound I-70 at 44th Avenue This Weekend

June 10, 2011 - TRAFFIC ADVISORY - Denver Metro Colorado/CDOT Region 6 - DENVER—Starting at 7 p.m. tonight, June 10th and continuing until 5:30 a.m. on Monday, June 13th, the right lane of westbound I-70 at 44th Avenue will be closed as well as the on-ramp from Ward Road to westbound I-70 for bridge deck rehabilitation.

This will be the last weekend for bridge deck rehabilitation on I-70 between Ward Road and 44^th Avenue.

The bridge deck rehabilitation consists of rotomilling the existing asphalt mat, removing the deteriorated concrete, replacing the bridge deck with new concrete, paving, and striping.

During the weekend work, major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised. Motorists on Ward Road needing access to westbound I-70 can take travel south to 44^th Avenue and then west on 44^th Avenue to Youngfield Street. Once on Youngfield Street, travel south to 32^nd Avenue where access to westbound I-70 is available.

The speed limit will be reduced to 55 MPH during work hours only. Most fines for infractions that occur in the work zone will be doubled. CDOT would like to remind motorists to plan ahead, obey all construction signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

The bridge deck rehabilitation is part of an interchange improvement at I-70 and Ward Road that reconstructed the eastbound I-70 ramps at 44^th Avenue/Ward Road to increase merge distance. The north side of 44^th Avenue was also widened to accommodate two left turn lanes from eastbound 44^th Avenue to I-70 as well as one full continuous merge lane on 44^th Avenue between the I-70 off-ramp and Ward Road. The interchange improvements are complete, but the bridge deck rehabilitation work remains as well as some paving on I-70.

Asphalt Paving Co. is the contractor for this $8.5 million project scheduled to be complete by the end of July 2011.