I-70 Exit 203 Interchange in Frisco - Design Phase

About the Project

Safety, mobility, and operational improvements on I-70 at the Colorado State Highway 9 (CO9) Frisco interchange (Exit 203) and the adjacent intersection on Lusher Court/Dillon Dam Road (DDR) are needed. The Interchange experiences congestion during peak travel times. This project
will improve the capacity of the interchange by improving the westbound ramp and I-70 bridge. It also improves the eastbound ramps and adjacent intersection that affect the operation of this interchange.

The project will improve:

• Mobility: Interchange improvements enhance economic vitality and mobility by reducing travel delays caused by crashes and congestion for all users, including the freight industry and tourists. Mobility improvements help regional transit such as Bustang and Summit Stage, the local transit agency that uses I-70.
• Safety: The interchange improvements will increase traveler safety for all users, including new bicycle and pedestrian connections across CO 9 and I-70.

Project Area

The project area is at Exit 203 on I-70 in Frisco.

Project Status

In response to the I-70 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) completed the Interstate 70 Exit 203 & Eastbound Auxiliary Lane Feasibility Study in 2020 that identified improvements at the interchange. Local stakeholders were involved in the feasibility study as part of the Project Leadership Team (PLT) and will continue to be involved in final design. CDOT is advancing these interchange concepts to finalize the project configuration including a new frontage road bypass under CO9 connecting Dillon Dam Road and Lusher Court which will relieve traffic congestion on CO9 near the Exit 203 interchange. The project will also add multi-use paths along the frontage road and across I-70 to existing hiking and biking destinations. Once the final configuration is set the project will advance to preliminary and final design. The project is identified as a priority project within the current CDOT 10-year plan.