Edwards Spur Road

Project completed

Project Facts

  • Cost:$21.3 million (64% CDOT – Faster Funds, 36% Edwards/Eagle Metro District)
  • Contractor: Kraemer North America LLC
  • Timeline: Feb. 2019 – June 2020
  • Location: Edwards Spur Road (south of Miller Ranch Road) including the intersection of US 6

Edwards Spur Road - Project Map
Project limits map

Project Overview

CDOT and Eagle County are making improvements to Edwards Spur Road, an approximate 0.6-mile-long stretch that connects I-70 to US 6 in the unincorporated town of Edwards. This improvement impacts two major thoroughfares—I-70, Eagle County's primary transportation corridor, and US 6, which carries large amounts of traffic that runs parallel to I-70 from Dotsero to Dowd Canyon. For access to the Edwards Spur Road Project Design report contact the project team,

Phases

Phase 1 of the project—completed in 2011—made improvements to the northern half of the Spur Road, including four new roundabouts and improved connections with the I-70 on- and off-ramps

Phase 2 of the project will include designing improvements for the southern half of the Edwards Spur Road, starting north of the roadway bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad (where Phase 1 ended) and ending with the connection to US 6 to the south—a distance of approximately 0.4 miles. Crews will widen roads and bridges, and improve intersections and pedestrian mobility.

Project Completion

This $21.3 million project (64% CDOT – Faster Funds, 36% Eagle County/Edwards Metro District) took course over two construction seasons spanning 2019-20 and will be fully complete in October 2020  – finishing on schedule and on budget.

  • Spur Road & Utilities
    Construction activities began along the Edwards Access (Spur) Road in spring 2019 as crews conducted embankment and road-widening. The project coordinated with local utilities to install a half-mile of new water-main, with seven separate waterline connections. In total, the project completed nearly five miles of utility work. Across the project, there was an estimated 3,500 cubic yards of concrete poured, over 5,000 tons of asphalt placed, and nearly two miles of curb and gutter installed.

  • Roundabout Construction 
    The eight-week operation to convert the signalized intersection of U.S. 6 and Edwards Spur Road into a roundabout was completed ahead of schedule and prior to the start of the 2019-20 school year. While building the roundabout, crews maintained vehicle and pedestrian movements and business access. 

  • Pedestrian Infrastructure 
    Crews installed new pedestrian bridges over the Eagle River and Union Pacific Railroad, complementing the more than 5,000 feet of pedestrian trail improvements. Each pedestrian bridge spans over 137 feet and weighs more than 60,000 pounds.

  • Eagle River Bridge 
    The existing three-span Eagle River Bridge was removed and replaced. The new single-span bridge design eliminates the need for a pier in the water, improving the long-term health of the Eagle River. The structural concrete girder for Eagle River Bridge that was set in place weighs nearly 150,000 pounds and stretches more than half a football field.

  • Construction Team 
    Across CDOT, the general contractor Kraemer North America, and numerous subcontractors, the project employed more than 300 workers across various trades. More than 15,000 hours were dedicated to traffic control activities to maintain vehicle and pedestrian movements and business access while protecting workers and the public. For the project fact sheet contact the project team.

 2019 Project Milestones

Spur Road & Utilities
In February, construction activities began along the Edwards Access (Spur) Road as crews conducted embankment and road-widening work along the east side of the road. During the initial embankment and widening work, the project coordinated with local utilities to install 1,170 feet of drainage pipe and 1,750 feet of a new water main. In total, more than 19,300 cubic yards of embankment material was placed to accommodate the widened road.

Eagle River Bridge
The northbound bridge lanes of the Eagle River Bridge were completed in June, and Spur Road traffic moved to the east side of the roadway to begin building the west side of the bridge for southbound traffic. Since then, crews have completed both halves of the bridge including installation of the bridge girders and pouring the new bridge deck and approach slabs. All four lanes of the Eagle River Bridge — two lanes in each direction — will be open during the winter. One of the significant benefits of the new Eagle River Bridge is that its single-span design eliminates the need for a pier in the water, improving the long-term health of the Eagle River.

Roundabout Construction
During the summer, the eight-week operation to convert the signalized intersection of U.S. 6 and Edwards Spur Road into a roundabout was completed ahead of schedule and prior to the start of the school year. Temporary traffic signals were used to safely manage traffic in two phases while each quadrant of the roundabout was built. While building the roundabout, crews maintained vehicle and pedestrian movements and business access. Following the transition to the roundabout configuration, the team constructed the roundabout truck apron, curbs and gutters, and new sidewalks. The roundabout is now open to two lanes in all directions.

Pedestrian Infrastructure

In June, crews installed a new, grade-separated pedestrian bridge over the Eagle River. This new pedestrian bridge is designed to safely accommodate 500-year flood water levels and complements numerous trail improvements on the Edwards Spur Road Project. Pedestrian safety features at the roundabout include new high-visibility crossings with flashing signs and intermediate islands to use until traffic clears. The trail connection from Old Edwards Estates is also complete, providing a route from the neighborhood to the new roundabout and Edwards businesses.

Project crews will return in March 2020, with only a handful of operations remaining. 

Union Pacific Railroad Bridge
The project team has worked closely with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and has received the necessary permits and right-of-way access to begin work at the railroad bridge beginning in spring 2020. The team is working with the UPRR to develop an updated schedule to complete the widened bridge by fall 2020.

Trail Connections
While the majority of pedestrian infrastructure work at the roundabout and Eagle River Bridge is now complete, crews will return in 2020 to complete remaining trail connections, specifically connecting the new trail system to the CDOT Rest Area and roundabouts at the I-70 interchange.

Landscaping & Finishing Work
When work resumes in the spring, another primary focus will be finer detail work; namely landscaping and aesthetic components. Much of this work is temperature-dependent and needs to be completed in the spring or early summer.