7-month closure of Vine Drive over I-25 starts May 28

May 13, 2019 - Northeastern Colorado - Public open house on May 15 to discuss details of project

FORT COLLINS – In late May, the Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor partner, Zak Dirt, will begin a major construction project to replace the 53-year-old Vine Drive bridge over Interstate 25, which will close Vine for seven months.

A project open house will be held on Wednesday, May 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 East Willow Street, Fort Collins. Information regarding construction impacts and the schedule will be displayed. No formal presentation is planned. However, the project team will be available to answer questions.

While this project is not related to the larger expansion of I-25 happened from Berthoud to Fort Collins, the new bridge at Vine will accommodate future expanded capacity on I-25 as well as provide increased safety with shoulders on Vine and I-25, as part of CDOT’s Whole System. Whole Safety initiative.

Starting on May 28, motorists will need to detour safely around the work zone on Vine Drive over I-25 for approximately seven months while the bridge is replaced. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained.

The 3.5-mile detour route uses North Timberline Road, Mountain Vista Drive and the frontage road east of I-25. A detour map is available at https://www.codot.gov/projects/vine-drive-bridge-replacement.

Detour: Eastbound Vine Drive

  • Turn north (left) on N. Timberline Road

  • Turn east (right) on Mountain Vista Drive

  • Turn south (right) on the east I-25 frontage road

  • Turn east (left) onto Vine Drive / Larimer County Road 48

Detour: Westbound Vine Drive

  • Turn north (right) on the east I-25 frontage road

  • Turn west (left) on Mountain Vista Drive

  • Turn south (left) on N. Timberline Road

  • Turn west (right) on Vine Drive

The schedule is weather-dependent and subject to change. Any changes to the closure date will be posted on the project website and on message boards placed along the corridor.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The existing structure will be demolished and replaced with a new bridge carrying Vine Drive (Larimer County Road 48) over I-25. Improvements will also be made to bridge approaches on Vine Drive and the frontage roads. Project completion is anticipated in early 2020.

Originally built in 1966, the existing bridge warrants replacement as part of the Colorado Bridge Enterprise. Formed in 2009, the CBE is funded by 2009 FASTER (Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery) legislation. The purpose of the CBE is to finance, repair, reconstruct and replace bridges.

Project benefits include:

  • New shoulders and sidewalks on Vine Drive over I-25 for increased vehicle and pedestrian safety

  • Improved bridge transitions on Vine Drive and the frontage roads

  • Higher clearance underneath the structure for I-25 traffic

  • Wider shoulders on I-25

The active construction zone is from Waterglen Drive on the west to approximately 500 feet east of I-25. The project will require the full closure of Vine Drive between the frontage roads on either side of I-25 for approximately seven months starting in late May 2019.

Intermittent traffic impacts are anticipated on the I-25 frontage roads during construction. I-25 will also be subject to intermittent lane closures as well as overnight full closures for demolition work and when bridge components are placed over I-25.

For additional information or to sign up for project updates, call the project hotline at 970-541-8955, send an email to [email protected] or visit the website at https://www.codot.gov/projects/vine-drive-bridge-replacement.

For real-time information regarding traffic impacts on any state highway, motorists can sign up for CDOT email and text alerts by visiting www.codot.gov and clicking on the small envelope icon at the bottom right of the page. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and Facebook (www.facebook.com/coloradodot).

REMEMBER: SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.

  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.

  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.

  • Be patient!

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.  

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System. Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.