All I-76 Traffic Between Brush and Fort Morgan Switched into Westbound Lanes Beginning Monday, March 31
MORGAN COUNTY — Beginning Monday, March 31, and lasting until early November, a portion of eastbound I-76 between Brush and Fort Morgan will undergo removal and replacement. During this time, I-76 will be moved into a head-to-head configuration in the westbound lanes. This new configuration is part of the second phase of a larger interstate reconstruction project to improve both directions of I-76 between Brush and Fort Morgan. This phase will include concrete paving of the eastbound lanes of I-76, as well as the construction of seven new bridges and associated on- and off-ramps.
Work to reconstruct the State Highway (SH) 71 bridge over I-76, which began Feb.18, 2014 will also continue through mid-May 2014. During the bridge reconstruction, southbound traffic on SH 71 can access eastbound I-76 by taking County Road (CR) T to Hospital Road, while northbound traffic on SH 71 can access westbound I-76 via US 34 to Hospital Road.
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. Bridges already 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.
By the project’s conclusion, in mid-December, crews will have built, replaced 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.
This project has a contracted cost of $37.6 million to Castle Rock Construction Co.
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 work 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!
For additional questions or comments about the US 36 repairs project, please contact [email protected] or call the project hotline at 970-840-7090. Further information about the project is also available on the project website 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.
