Phase 4: US 6 & Wadsworth Boulevard Interchange Reconstruction

Phase 4 involves completing the larger undertaking to reconstruct the remaining portion of the transportation improvements at the US 6 and Wadsworth interchange. Initial design of this phase was nearly completed in 2014, but put on hold due to lack of funding. In 2023, CDOT and the City of Lakewood applied for RAISE discretionary grant program funding. The application was successful and in Summer 2023 the federal government awarded $20 million to be used for US 6 and Wadsworth interchange reconstruction. Design resumed in late 2022 and is focused on advancing design details and minimizing property impacts. The design is expected to be finalized in late 2025 with construction to begin in 2026. Improvements will include:

  • Replacing the US 6 bridge over Wadsworth Boulevard
  • Changing the interchange configuration from a cloverleaf to a diamond interchange with a loop ramp in the northwest quadrant (removing the loop ramps in all other quadrants and replacing with new longer on- and off-ramps)
  • Rerouting the frontage road in the northeast and northwest quadrants to accommodate the diamond ramp configuration
  • Widening Wadsworth to three lanes in each direction from W. 4th Avenue to W. Broadview Drive to match the roadway north and south of the interchange
  • Constructing a detached 10-foot-wide multi-use path along both sides of Wadsworth to connect to paths north and south of the interchange built in the prior phases
  • Adding a pedestrian underpass at the US 6 loop ramp to provide continuous safe pedestrian access along the west side of Wadsworth Boulevard
  • Installing pedestrian crosswalks with flashing beacons
  • Adding a westbound auxiliary lane on the north side of US 6 between the US 6 on-ramp and Carr Street off-ramp
  • Adding noise walls in the northeast, northwest, and southeast quadrants of the interchange along US 6 and Highland Avenue
  • Constructing three new water quality extended detention basins (ponds) to treat stormwater runoff; and
  • Replacing the McIntyre Gulch and South Lakewood Gulch culverts under US 6
US 6 & Wadsworth Project - Phase 4 Graphic

Phase 4 Improvements US 6 & Wadsworth Interchange

Noise Walls

Following a traffic noise study, CDOT determined that noise walls are recommended in all four quadrants of the interchange to reduce traffic noise noticeably for approximately 380 residences. The final step in determining whether these noise walls will be built involves a survey of property owners and tenants who would benefit from the wall. In order for the noise walls to be constructed, each wall needs to be supported by more than 50 percent of survey respondents.

Property owners and tenants in the southwest quadrant were surveyed in 2022 and are in favor of the noise walls planned along the south side of US 6, between Meadowlark Drive and Carr Street and between Carr Street and Wadsworth Boulevard, so these walls are being constructed. Surveys will be sent to those who would benefit from the walls in the other interchange quadrants later in this process following verification of each noise wall height and extent.

CDOT solicited public input to determine how the noise walls should look through a survey available on the project web page in late 2022/early 2023. The majority of survey participants were in favor of chiseled limestone. This treatment will be applied to the noise walls, in a light beige color with a dark brown stripe. This design will closely match the look of the walls located east of the US 6 and Wadsworth interchange. In locations where the new noise wall transitions to the existing wall (such as near Meadowlark Drive), the concrete barrier to be placed in front of the noise wall will also be light beige.

Angle-chiseled Limstone wallImage is a simulation of the beige chiseled limestone noise wall with a brown stripe near the top