Starting Wednesday, travelers along Interstate 70 west of metro Denver will face increased disruption as the Colorado Department of Transportation and its contractors expand work on the $800 million Floyd Hill Project east of Idaho Springs.
Traffic rerouting will push westbound vehicles to the north and eastbound vehicles to the south onto I-70 shoulders, CDOT officials announced this week.
The highway construction crews will ramp up work to straighten curves, part of the efforts to improve safety. They’ll also work on adding a westbound I-70 express lane from the top of Floyd Hill through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. I-70 travelers would have to pay a toll fee to use that lane. As part of the work, highway crews also will be rebuilding two bridges over Clear Creek.
During this summer, drivers can expect periodic night closures of lanes and reduced speeds of around 45 miles per hour, CDOT officials said. After Sept. 2, contractors plan to begin rock blasting, which will require holding back traffic.
Overall, the I-70 Floyd Hill Project, scheduled for completion in 2028, is designed to improve the highway along eight miles of the mountain corridor from Evergreen to Idaho Springs. In addition to the express lane, CDOT officials said workers will add a two-mile section to the frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho Springs, extend an eastbound I-70 on-ramp, and improve traffic flow. The project also includes improvements along the Clear Creek Greenway trail, which will remain closed to bicyclists, pedestrians, and anglers until late 2027. CDOT officials advised drivers to monitor road conditions before traveling.