I-25 Climbing Lane Set to Open this Week

WELD COUNTY—Drivers heading south on Interstate 25 near Berthoud will be getting an early gift this holiday season from the Colorado Department of Transportation: The new climbing lane will open this week.

The additional lane is an operational and safety improvement on this section of the interstate, which historically has seen congestion as trucks slow down to get up the three-mile incline known as Berthoud Hill.

From Sunday, Dec. 4, to Tuesday, Dec. 6, weather permitting, crews will be working on final alignment for the southbound lanes on I-25, spanning from mile point 245.87 to mile point 249.84, which is just south of the Berthoud exit.

Once the new alignment is complete, the third climbing lane will be open for southbound motorists and the speed limit for the project zone will go back up to 75 mph. Speeds were reduced to 65 mph during construction.

After the lane is open, the project will go into winter shutdown. Work is expected to resume in mid-April or as weather permits, to allow for the remaining work items to be completed, including the milling and paving of two of the newly aligned southbound lanes. This project is expected to be complete by July 2017.

Travel Impacts
Intermittent single-lane closures will take place from 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. each night/morning of Dec. 7-8 on southbound I-25 to allow for placement of rumble strips on the southbound lanes. There will be no expected closures until construction resumes mid-April or as weather allows.