I-76 Brush Reconstruction

First RAMP Project in Northeast Colorado Nearly Complete

A two-year project to reconstruct I-76 between Fort Morgan and Brush is nearing completion. The project, which is on track to be completed in mid-December 2014, includes reconstruction of both directions of I-76, including all on- and off-ramps, 13 bridges and one box culvert.

The first Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships (RAMP) project in northeast Colorado, this project was part of an innovative funding approach that allowed it to be constructed three to five years sooner than originally planned.

Photo: The newly reconstructed lanes of I-76 provide motorists with a safer, smoother ride, and a more durable roadway surface.

Project Description

This project will reconstruct both directions of I-76 from mile marker (MM) 84.9 to MM 91.1 in Morgan County, which is essentially the stretch of the interstate from Fort Morgan to Brush. Crews will build or replace 13 bridges and one box culvert. The work will reconfigure two I-76 interchanges at State Highway (SH) 71 and Dodd Bridge Road to standard diamond interchanges. Also, all on- and off-ramps are to be lengthened for a safer transition onto and off of the interstate. The existing six miles of interstate roadway, shoulders, and ramps will be repaved with concrete. Long term drainage improvements will be made along the interstate in Brush.

This project is the first Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships (RAMP) project in northeast Colorado. The RAMP program is a way CDOT is changing how it budgets for and spends funds on transportation projects. By funding this multi-year project based on year of expenditure, rather than saving for the full amount of the project before it started, the RAMP program helped move this project forward three to five years after it had been shelved for more than 10 years.

Project Progress

The following are some major milestones of the project:

  • Overall, the project is 99 percent complete, including all paving and bridge work on the eastbound and westbound sides, as well as demolition and reconstruction of the State Highway (SH) 71 bridge over I-76.
  • 100 percent of the project’s dirt work is complete. An estimated 516,000 cubic yards of embankment has been placed.
  • All seven of the bridges for the second phase have been completed.
  • Concrete paving of the eastbound lanes is complete, and traffic is in its final divided configuration.

Project Timeline

Currently, crews are striping, conducting shoulder work, seeding slopes, and installing signs. The second phase of the project began in February 2013 with the demolition and reconstruction of the SH 71 bridge over I-76. A total of seven new bridges were built during Phase 2. The second phase included concrete paving of the eastbound lanes of I-76 and construction of the associated on- and off-ramps.

The first phase of the project, which took place between March and October 2013, included reconstruction and concrete paving of the westbound lanes of I-76, as well as construction of six new bridges and associated on- and off-ramps.

Project Budget

$37.6 million
• Contractor: Castle Rock Construction Co.

This project has a contracted cost of $39.6 million to Castle Rock Construction Co.