Traffic Impacts
Construction Activities & Impacts
Work for the week | March 22 to March 28
Lane closures for the week of March 22:
- Ongoing through Friday: Weekday daytime full closures of WCR 32 under I-25.
- Monday through Friday: I-25 E. Frontage Road near WCR 38 reduced to one alternating lane with flaggers.
- Monday: Southbound I-25 E. Frontage Road shoulder closure at CO 66.
- Tuesday: Northbound I-25 left shoulder closure at WCR 28.
- Tuesday and Wednesday: Eastbound WCR 28 shoulder closure near I-25.
- Ongoing: Full closure of I-25 E. Frontage Road access to WCR 34.
While this is not a CDOT project and not part of the I-25 North Express Lanes project, we wanted to make sure you were aware that there will be delays on I-25 (as well as US 287 and CO 66) on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22.
Xcel Energy is moving the second of four massive generators from Loveland to Platteville. The 20-plus-vehicle caravan accompanying the 1 million-pound generator will be travelling at about 5-10 mph south on US 287, east on CO 66, crossing I-25 south of CO 66 and continuing east on CO 66 to County Road 21.
There will be roving closures as this move takes place.
Each of the roads will be closed off in advance of the caravan coming through. Approximate times and roadways to avoid (times can vary based on progress of the caravan):
- 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday: Southbound US 287 in Loveland, to CO 66
- 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday: Eastbound CO 66 at US 287, to east of the CO 66 and I-25 intersection
- 4:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Sunday: I-25 near CO 66, to eastbound CO 66, to CR 21
US 85 will remain open for northbound and southbound trips throughout the morning.
Currently, Xcel is planning to repeat this process for the next few weekends, weather permitting.
The speed limit on the project has been lowered to 65 mph. Please obey speed limit signs.
Weld County Road 32 Closures
Ongoing through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be daily temporary full closures of Weld County Road 32 under I-25, Monday through Friday, for column and pier cap construction for the bridge. The road will be open to thru traffic at night and on weekends. All work is weather dependent.
- Eastbound WCR 32 traffic will take Weld County Road 7 south to Colorado Highway 66, turn east to Weld County Road 9.5, and turn north to WCR 32.
- Westbound WCR 32 traffic will take WCR 9.5 south to CO 66, turn west to WCR 7, and turn north to WCR 32.
Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the I-25 E. Frontage Road near Weld County Road 38 will be reduced to one alternating lane with flaggers for pipe installation and potholing.
Monday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a southbound I-25 E. Frontage Road shoulder closure near CO 66 for sign installation.
Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a northbound I-25 left shoulder closure at Weld County Road 28 for underground boring operations.
Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be an eastbound WCR 28 shoulder closure near I-25 for underground boring operations.
I-25 E. Frontage Road Access Impacts:
The I-25 E. Frontage Road is temporarily closed to thru traffic between WCR 32 and CO 56 to prepare for the I-25 northbound lane widening and the frontage roadway transition. Crews have demolished the WCR 32 bridge and will reduce the asphalt roadway width on isolated sections of the frontage road. Viable detour routes and speed limit reductions will be posted. Please drive carefully through the work zones and reduced roadway sections. Motorists may use alternate north/south roadways such as WCR 9.5, WCR 7 and Colorado Boulevard.
CDOT changed I-25 E. Frontage Road thru access north of Weld County Road 34, near Mead, in January. Closing frontage road access to WCR 34 is required for crews to extend the North Creek Box Culvert as part of the I-25 North Express Lanes Project. This access change is part of CDOT’s continued coordination with the Town of Mead and Weld County, who are building a 2-mile portion of High Plains Boulevard between WCR 32 and Weld County Road 36.
Once opened (projected summer 2026), traffic that previously used the frontage road will use High Plains Boulevard, and the frontage road use will transition to private property and utility access only. As shown on the map, local motorists will be able to access their properties between WCR 34 and WCR 36 but thru traffic will not be allowed. Similarly, local motorists will be able to access their properties between WCR 34 and WCR 32 but no thru traffic will be allowed.
Approximately one mile of the southbound I-25 Express Lane, between mile points 251 and 250, from approximately Weld County Road 44 to Weld County Road 46, is closed through late 2027.
The I-25 North Express Lanes, Berthoud to Fort Collins, opened in December 2023 and finalized finishing touches in the spring of 2024.
Since then, the Express Lanes have been open for use in a testing phase, allowing drivers to take advantage of the new Express Lanes, without paying a toll.
The Express Lanes are currently anticipated to begin tolling in early 2026. Once tolling begins in 2026, motorists are encouraged to sign up for an ExpressToll account to save an average of 40% on tolls.
For future project updates and information, please continue to check the project website and CoTrip.org.
Drivers are encouraged to try the Express Lanes by entering through the dashed white lines. When using the lanes, drivers are reminded to follow these rules to ensure the safety of everyone on the
road:
- Do not cross the solid white lines (tickets for violations start at $75 each).
- Enter and exit at the designated areas only, which are marked with a white dotted line.
- Obey posted speed limits. The Express Lanes cannot be used to pass slower moving vehicles.
No major traffic impacts this week.
No major traffic impacts this week.
