Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The preliminary alternatives have been through two levels of evaluation and screening. The following two alternatives are recommended as having the best potential to meet the project purpose, needs, and goal and are recommended for detailed evaluation in the EIS: Three General-Purpose Lanes Alternative Two General-Purpose Lanes and One Express Lane that Accommodates Transit Alternative.

The project is continuing to seek input through the public involvement process. Alternatives will be refined, and other alternatives may be added as a result of this process. New alternatives would go through the same screening process to determine if they should move forward for detailed evaluation in the EIS.

Express Lanes are new travel lanes built in addition to any existing general purpose lanes to provide drivers the choice of a more reliable trip by paying a toll, carpooling or riding transit. Toll prices are set to manage traffic and have just the right number of vehicles in the lane to provide reliable, shorter travel times.

On some Express Lanes, tolls can change depending on the level of congestion. As traffic increases, the toll goes up to make sure the lane remains a free-flowing alternative for travelers. Conversely, the toll price will decrease when there is less traffic in the lane. Drivers will always be charged the amount on the overhead sign when they enter the Express Lanes.

CDOT has implemented a network of Express Lanes along high-volume, congested highways throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Where implemented, CDOT has found (using INRIX traffic data) that travelers in all lanes (including the regular lanes) see time savings of anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent. Drivers in the regular lanes are getting to home and work faster because some of the other drivers are choosing to pay a toll and use an Express Lane. For more information on Express Lanes, please visit codot.gov/programs/expresslanes.

In fiscal year 2023, Colorado’s Express Lanes generated approximately $34.8 million in toll revenue, up from $26.5 million in 2021. Revenues are projected to continue to increase as more lanes are added to the network and traffic volumes rise. Most of the revenue from tolls is reinvested in transportation infrastructure, including funding for new projects, maintaining existing Express Lane corridors, and repaying loans taken to build Express Lanes. Toll revenue is also used to expand transit infrastructure such as mobility hubs, support HOV 3+ carpooling programs, and integrate Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) on Express Lane corridors.

The Colorado Transportation Investment Office (CTIO) is responsible for implementing and managing Express Lanes as part of its overall mission to pursue innovative and efficient means of financing and delivering important surface transportation infrastructure projects across Colorado. As a business enterprise, CTIO is required to be self-sufficient in operations without direct reliance on state appropriations. Toll revenue also helps fund CTIO operations.

There is a lot of right of way (land owned by CDOT for the highway) in the I-270 corridor, and CDOT does not anticipate direct impacts to Sand Creek or other surface waters.

The project is engaged in an extensive outreach program that employs various methods such as public meetings, bus tours, community listening sessions, stakeholder meetings, elected official meetings, and agency meetings. CDOT’s project team and bilingual community liaison are hosting and attending community events, meetings, and volunteer opportunities to develop community alliances and agency partnerships to share information and gather feedback. Information is shared through many channels, such as in-person meetings, online meetings, and through website, email, and printed and video materials. The outreach team will be out in the community throughout the study process to listen to ideas for the corridor. Upcoming events can be found on the I-270 Corridor Improvements Calendar. CDOT will also be conducting one-on-one interviews with local businesses and large employers to understand how I-270 currently affects customers and employees and how the project may impact businesses, both during and after construction.

CDOT will be out in the community throughout the environmental study process, listening to ideas for the corridor. After the initial “scoping” phase where CDOT and FHWA are collecting and reviewing data, coordinating with other agencies and interest groups, and seeking public input, the next phases include developing and evaluating alternatives, analyzing traffic and environmental data, and preparing a draft report. The information will be presented in a draft EIS, which will identify the preferred alternative for the project, present the environmental analysis, and identify and commit to mitigation measures to avoid or lessen community and environmental impacts.  The public will have an opportunity to review and comment on the draft EIS before a final EIS and record of decision (ROD) are published. The ROD notifies the public of the decision made and presents the reasons for that decision. Each step in this process involves coordination with stakeholders, the public, and state and federal agencies. After completing the environmental study, CDOT would design and implement I-270 corridor improvements, prioritizing replacement of the bridges that are in critically poor condition as a first phase.

The I-270 Corridor Improvements Project and CDOT’s I-25 (US 36 to 104th Avenue) Safety & Operations Improvements project, which includes improvements to a five-mile segment of I-25 from US-36/I-270 to the south and 104th Avenue to the north, terminates at the I-25/I-270/US 36 interchange. Neither project includes reconstruction of the system interchange. Although these are independent projects with no physical connection or correlation, the project teams are coordinating project development, outreach and design efforts since the projects have similar development timelines and stakeholder interest. Learn more about that project and provide your input here.

CDOT is also conducting a separate, independent project focused on improvements to Vasquez Boulevard from I-270 to 64th Avenue. The Vasquez Boulevard Improvements Project aims to improve traffic operations, safety and pedestrian connections within that area north of the interchange.

Redesign of the Vasquez Boulevard and I-270 interchange and ramps is included in the I-270 Improvements Project. The project would reconstruct the Vasquez Boulevard interchange as a new partial cloverleaf with loop ramps in the east and west quadrants; add traditional ramps in the north and south and provide a new movement from northbound Vasquez Boulevard to eastbound I-270. New sidewalks and crossings would be provided to make pedestrian and bicycle travel through the interchange safer.

CDOT’s Colorado Highway 224: US 36 to US 6 Multimodal Improvements Project is a separate but complementary project to the I-270 Improvements. It includes asphalt resurfacing and multimodal improvements on 3.6 miles of CO 224 between US 36 and US 6.

The project was originally limited to asphalt resurfacing, however, after engaging surrounding residents and Adams County Commissioners, CDOT allocated $14 million to add multimodal improvements to the CO 224 project. Multimodal improvements include sidewalks, lighting, ADA curb ramps, access to the Clear Creek Trail, access to the South Platte River Trail, drainage improvements, a new pedestrian crossing structure over the Burlington Canal, and intersection safety improvements.

Construction of the project is expected to begin spring 2025 and end summer 2026.

Freight considerations on I-270 are important for the project, community, and state. Colorado’s freight network plays a pivotal role in the state’s dynamic economy, serving as a critical backbone for the transportation of commodities. I-270 is an important part of this infrastructure and carries a large portion of freight truck traffic, connects to rail terminals, and serves as one of the only designated nuclear and hazardous materials routes through the area.

How freight moves on I-270 and through the area has potential safety, travel time, economic, and environmental implications for freight movement and deliveries regionally and locally in the surrounding community. Freight is an important economic driver in this area with numerous trucking companies and freight terminals surrounding I-270. Along I-270, between eight and 17 percent of daily I-270 traffic consists of heavy trucks. The unique operational needs of freight trucks are being considered as part of this project. The project team is engaging with the freight industry and local stakeholders to ensure improvements meet the identified transportation needs of freight operations on the corridor and reduce conflicts between freight and other corridor users.

CDOT expects there will be impacts due to construction activities. These could include, but not be limited to, travel delays, noise, dust, vibrations, access impacts and soil erosion.

To minimize or avoid these impacts, mitigation measures will be implemented. These include using water sprays to control dust and employing clean, well-maintained equipment to reduce air emissions. Silt fences or other sediment control measures will be installed to protect water quality, and stormwater management plans will be put in place. Fences will be installed around wetlands or other sensitive environmental resources to prevent damage. A materials management plan will detail hazardous materials and waste management protocols to protect the public, workers, and the environment.

Traffic management during construction will involve developing and communicating traffic management plans, minimizing lane closures during peak travel times, establishing safe and well-signed work zones, and providing temporary access or detours when necessary. A comprehensive public information plan will inform residents, businesses, and travelers about disruptions. Additional measures will be developed in response to identified impacts. CDOT is actively engaging with community members, service providers, and other organizations to understand impacts and create effective mitigation strategies.

In April 2024, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) updated its rules for how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is applied. The updated regulation requires federal agencies to consider climate change and environmental justice when evaluating projects. This means federal agencies like FHWA must look at how a project might affect the climate and communities dealing with environmental justice issues, in addition to other environmental and community impacts. While specific guidelines are still being developed, projects need to explore ways to minimize these impacts.

Colorado’s 2021 transportation funding bill (SB 21-260) requires CDOT to assess how projects affect communities identified as Disproportionately Impacted (DI). These are communities that have challenges related to race, poverty, language barriers, or other factors that could lead to higher health or environmental problems. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has identified DI Communities across the project area. The I-270 Improvements EIS must comply with both state and federal rules regarding these communities and environmental justice.

SB 21-260 also sets new rules for monitoring air quality and reducing air pollution and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Colorado that go beyond what NEPA requires. It introduces a new GHG standard for transportation plans. This means that CDOT and the state’s five metropolitan planning agencies need to create plans that provide more travel options and lower GHG emissions. If an agency cannot meet the GHG reduction targets, they must take extra steps to meet the standard.

There are many ways to provide input throughout the environmental review process. You can:

Attend a public meeting to fill out a comment form and talk to project representatives.

Visit the project website to stay up to date on the latest progress and events (codot.gov/projects/studies/i270study) and provide input via the comment form.

Leave a message or request information on the project hotline (303-512-4270).

Email or mail the project team at: [email protected] or CDOT Region 1, 2829 Howard Place, Denver, 80204.

The best ways to stay informed are to visit www.codot.gov/projects/i270study; attend future public events and meetings; request project presentations, updates or tours; send us an email at [email protected]; call the project hotline at 303-512-4270; and/or subscribe to the project email list to receive project updates and information about public meetings. The project team and CDOT’s Bilingual Community Liaison will be out in the community throughout the study process to listen to your ideas for the corridor and your community.