Phase 2 of I-76 Reconstruction Set to Begin Between Fort Morgan and Brush Starting Tuesday, February 18

MORGAN COUNTY — The project to reconstruct I-76 from Fort Morgan to Brush is set to resume Tuesday, February 18 following a two-month winter break. As the project heads into its second and final phase, motorists can expect to see crews working along the highway, and should also be prepared for a full bridge closure on State Highway (SH) 71.

Beginning Tuesday, February 18 and Wednesday, February 19, traffic will be routed from eastbound and westbound I-76 onto the SH 71 ramps while crews demolish the SH 71 bridge over I-76.  The bridge closure is expected to last for three months, with completion expected in mid-May. During the 90-day closure, traffic on I-76 will be reduced to one lane in each direction periodically during the day while crews construct the new SH 71 bridge. There will be no pedestrian access across I-76 during the bridge reconstruction.

While the SH 71 bridge is closed for  reconstruction, southbound traffic on SH 71 can access eastbound I-76 by taking County Road “T” to Hospital Road, and northbound traffic on SH 71 can access westbound I-76 via US 34 to Hospital Road.

Beginning in early April and lasting until early November, traffic on I-76 will be in a head-to-head configuration in the westbound lanes as crews remove and replace the eastbound lanes of I-76. Seven new bridges, as well as concrete paving of the eastbound lanes of I-76, and construction of the associated on- and off-ramps will, take place during this final phase of the project, set to be completed by December 2014.  The new configuration of I-76 lanes is part of the larger interstate reconstruction project to improve both directions of I-76 between Brush and Fort Morgan.

By the project’s conclusion, crews will have built, replaced or rehabilitated 13 bridges and one box culvert; reconfigured two I-76 interchanges at SH 71 and Dodd Bridge Road to standard diamond interchanges; and lengthened all on- and off-ramps for a safer transition onto and off of the interstate.  The existing six miles of roadway throughout the project, including shoulders and ramps, will be repaved.  Additionally, long-term drainage improvements will be made along the interstate in Brush, and concrete and asphalt removed during the project will be recycled and reused as road base or concrete aggregate.

Throughout construction, motorists can expect to see crews working Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with occasional night and Sunday work. Delays during working hours will be kept to a minimum, and only one interchange will be closed at a time for construction. Throughout the construction zone, the speed limit will be reduced to 55 MPH, and motorists are encouraged to drive Slow for the Cone Zone!

This project has a contracted cost of $37.6 million to Castle Rock Construction Co.  The first phase of the project was completed in November 2013 and included reconstruction and paving of the westbound lanes of I-76, as well as construction of six new bridges with new, longer ramps for safer transition onto and off of the interstate.  The bridges that have been completed include a new bridge across Beaver Creek and new westbound bridges over Dodd Bridge Road, Morgan County Road (CR) 25, CR 26 and Hospital Road and a bridge at CR 29.  Concrete paving of the westbound lanes of I-76 was concluded in October, and lanes were tied into the new bridges.

For additional information about the project, contact the project public information line at 970-840-7090 or at [email protected]. You can also visit the project website at www.coloradodot.info/projects/i76brushreconstruction.

To receive real-time updates about road conditions in your area, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Information about weekly lane closures will be available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html. Live road conditions are available at www.cotrip.org or by calling 511 from anywhere in the state. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and at our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coloradodot.