Weekend Closure of I-70 Between Brighton Boulevard and I-270 Begins Dec. 18

Travel Advisory

December 10, 2020 - Central Colorado/Denver

Denver — As part of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Central 70 Project, both directions of Interstate 70 between Brighton Boulevard and Interstate 270 will close starting at 10 p.m., Dec. 18, through 5 a.m., Dec. 21. This closure will allow construction crews to demolish the remaining portion of the old Colorado Boulevard bridge. Prior to demolition activities, motorists will shift onto the new northbound lanes of the Colorado Boulevard bridge. See the detour map below and drive safely.

Full weekend closures allow construction crews to complete work that could potentially take months of nightly lane closures in just one weekend.

In addition, starting Dec. 21, eastbound I-70 traffic between Holly and Quebec streets will shift to the outer lanes to allow crews to build the new inside lanes of the I-70 bridges.

Traffic Impacts:

  • Full closure of westbound and eastbound I-70 from Brighton Boulevard to I-270  – begins 10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18., through 5 a.m., Monday, Dec. 21

    • To detour around this closure, westbound I-70 traffic will head north on I-270, then head west on I-76, continue south onto I-25 and exit onto I-70. 

    • To detour around this closure, eastbound I-70 traffic will head north on I-25, then head east on I-76, continue south on I-270 and exit onto I-70. 

    • The following ramps will remain open to local traffic: 

      • Brighton on-ramp to eastbound I-70 

      • Eastbound I-70 off-ramp to York 

      • Eastbound I-70 off-ramp to Steele/Vasquez

  • Intermittent lane closures on Colorado Boulevard at I-70 - begin 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18, through 9 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 19 

This work is weather-dependent and subject to change. 

Detour map: 

I-70 Detour Map

COVID-19

To slow the spread of COVID-19, CDOT is reminding the public to wear a mask, avoid in-person interactions with people from outside their household, and wash their hands frequently. Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for all of us, particularly for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, CDOT maintenance and construction crews follow social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. As traffic returns to normal levels, motorists must drive cautiously and heed the speed limit so all of us can return home safely. 

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.

In 2019, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to heighten safety awareness. This initiative 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 THE CENTRAL 70 PROJECT

The Central 70 Project will reconstruct a 10-mile stretch of I-70, add one new Express Lane in each direction, remove the aging 57-year-old viaduct and lower the interstate between Brighton and Colorado boulevards. More information on the Project, including a list of the Project’s community commitments, are available at central70.codot.gov.

STAY INFORMED

  • Text Alerts - Text Central70 to 77948

  • Email Updates - Sign up for Project updates at c70.codot.gov 

  • Website - c70.codot.gov - Traffic Impacts page 

  • Watch progress on the webcam