Central 70 held first-ever virtual media briefing

As part of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Central 70 Project, media outlets were invited to join CDOT’s first-ever virtual media briefing to learn about construction progress and what is to come in summer 2020.

• Reporters who were unable to attend the briefing or would like to share some of the visuals shown in the presentation can download the Central 70 Project information here.
  

Some of the highlights from Project Director Keith Stefanik and Communications Manager Stacia Sellers included: 

Upcoming Traffic Impacts: 

Motorists can expect the following impacts beginning this weekend:

Eastbound and westbound I-70 full closure between Steele/Vasquez and I-270 - 10 p.m., Friday, June 26 to 5 a.m., Monday, June 29

• Motorists on westbound I-70 will be detoured north on I-270 to I-76 west and will continue south onto I-25 to I-70. 
• Motorists on eastbound I-70 will be detoured north on I-25 to I-76 east and will continue south on I-270 to I-70. 
• Westbound I-70 off-ramp to Steele/Vasquez permanent closure - begins begins Friday, June 26
  • This ramp does not exist in the final alignment of the Central 70 Project and will, therefore, not be rebuilt. However, the Central 70 team is building a new 46th North Avenue to provide greater connectivity between Steele Street and Colorado Boulevard. Starting Monday, motorists will exit westbound I-70 at Colorado Boulevard and travel across Colorado Boulevard to 46th North Avenue to Steele Street.

Construction Progress:

• With nearly two million man-hours invested in the Project to date, progress has been made throughout the 10-mile corridor. Besides all bridge beams being set for the future cover top and work in the east segment nearly complete, roughly 200,000 tons of asphalt has been placed and 1.2 million cubic yards of dirt excavated. Learn more about progress along the Central 70 Project in numbers. 

Public Opinion Survey: 

• A recent, statistically valid survey showed more than 60% of participants had a positive view of the Central 70 Project. Respondents were less likely to believe that the Project would have an impact on them in 2020 compared to 2019. Additionally, 72% of motorists in 2019 reported experiencing slower traffic compared to 61% in 2020. Find more information on upcoming construction impacts.

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 56-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

COVID-19

Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, road maintenance and construction continues on CDOT projects with 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. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO by practicing social distancing, wearing face masks, staying at home when possible, and avoiding nonessential travel. With fewer vehicles on the roads, CDOT crews will be able to work more efficiently and safely.

Whole System. Whole Safety 

Earlier this year, 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.