Weekend closure of I-25 ramps to westbound US 6 needed for ramp shift
DENVER – This weekend, crews on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) US 6 Bridges Design Build Project will close the northbound and southbound I-25 off-ramps to westbound US 6 to complete and shift traffic onto the new northbound I-25 off-ramp bridge to westbound US 6. The ramps will close at 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22.
“The new, elongated northbound off-ramp improves on the current design, which involves a tight loop that forces drivers to suddenly decelerate when transitioning from northbound I-25 to westbound US 6,” said Kevin Sullivan, CDOT Project Director. “Effective Monday morning, northbound I-25 drivers will exit to westbound US 6 several hundred feet south of where they are accustomed to, so we encourage everyone to pay attention.”
The new northbound I-25 off-ramp opening Monday will serve as the new exit for eastbound and westbound US 6. Drivers will exit at one location and either go left to eastbound US 6 toward downtown Denver or right for westbound US 6.
The northbound I-25 off-ramp to westbound US 6 will join with the southbound I-25 off-ramp to westbound US 6 near the bridge over the South Platte River and feed into the new collector-distributor road, designed to provide a safer, more efficient merge from I-25 to westbound US 6.
This shift will allow northbound I-25 to westbound US 6 traffic to once again exit at Federal Boulevard; however, westbound US 6 traffic coming out of downtown will still temporarily be unable to exit at Federal Boulevard. This condition is scheduled to last until early 2015.
In conjunction with this work, the northbound I-25 off-ramp to eastbound US 6 will close overnight Friday, Dec. 19, and reopen the morning of Saturday, Dec. 20, in the new exit location.
In addition to this work, crews will also complete the following activities over the weekend:
- Beginning at 10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, crews will set girders on the northbound I-25 to westbound US 6 off-ramp bridge over a segment of the BNSF railroad tracks, just east of I-25. Commuters should watch for various lane closures on northbound I-25 between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. in conjunction with this work.
- Beginning at 10 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, crews will set girders on the Federal Boulevard bridge over the new westbound US 6 collector-distributor road. To allow room for this work, Federal will be reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction overnight, between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. All lanes on US 6 will remain open.
TRAVEL IMPACTS:
I-25 to westbound US 6 detour: Motorists should take Alameda Avenue, 8th Avenue or Colfax Avenue west to Federal Boulevard, then use the Federal Boulevard on-ramp to westbound US 6.
Northbound I-25 to eastbound US 6 detour: Motorists should exit at 8thAvenue and go east to Kalamath Street, then south on Kalamath back to 6th Avenue.
PROJECT INFORMATION: The $98 million US 6 Bridges Design-Build Project will replace six obsolete bridges on US 6 between Knox Court and I-25, improve traffic movements in the I-25 and US 6 interchange and enhance driver safety by eliminating several traffic weave movements along US 6 between Federal Boulevard and I-25. Substantial project completion is planned for August 2015.
For updated project information, visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/US6Bridges, call 720-881-5540 or email [email protected].
During construction, commuters might want to consider alternative modes of transportation to help ease the impacts of the project. This could include using the Regional Transportation District’s West Rail Line or bus service or taking advantage of carpool/vanpool options. For information on RTD services, call 303-299-6000. For carpool and vanpool information, call 303-458-7665.
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, downloading the CDOT Mobile app or by calling 511 from anywhere in the state. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and be sure to “Like” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coloradodot.
