US 40 & Floyd Hill Roundabouts

The US 40 & Floyd Hill Roundabouts project plans to construct new roundabout intersections at US 40 & County Road 65 (westbound I-70 Exit 248) and US 40 & Homestead Road (eastbound I-70 Exit 247). 

Benefits of this project include:

• Improved intersection operations and safety.
• Westbound US 40 bypass lane reduces conflict points and eases intersection congestion.
• Improved bicycle safety at intersections through bicycle specific signing, lower vehicle speeds, and the ability for cyclists to use the full lane.

Estimated Schedule:

• Construction Fall 2022 through Fall 2023
• Project Cost: $9M
• Contractor: American Civil Constructors

US 40 & County Road 65 Roundabout Rendering

US 40 & Homestead Road Roundabout Rendering

Wildlife Crossings

I-70 & Genesee Wildlife Crossing

Work has begun on the I-70 & Genesee Wildlife Crossing project, which includes construction a wildlife underpass at approximately I-70 Mile Point 254.5 which is in between the exits for Lookout Mountain and Genesee. This area has been identified as a hotspot for wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) and has the highest number of WVCs on I-70 east of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnel. Wildlife fencing will be placed along both sides of I-70 (north and south) and extend from the I-70 and Genesee Exit (Exit 254) to the I-70 and Lookout Mountain Exit (Exit 256).

Estimated Schedule:

• Construction November 2022 through Spring 2024
• Project Cost: $10M
• Contractor: Lawrence Construction

Traffic Impacts:

• To build the wildlife crossing, crews will construct a temporary traffic shift on I-70 between Lookout Mountain and Genesee.
• Three lanes of travel will be maintained in both directions, but due to narrowed lanes motorists must use caution through the work zone.
• Beginning in early November and lasting through December, 2022, there will be intermittent single-lane closures on weekdays on I-70 in both directions, resulting in up to 15-minute delays.
  • There won’t be lane closures during holidays and weekends.
• The speed limit will be reduced to 55 MPH through the work zone.
• There will be 11-foot width restrictions on vehicles through the work zone.
• Impacts to traffic are expected to be minimal.
• Once the project is complete, motorists will be traveling on the two new I-70 bridges with the wildlife underpass underneath.

US 40 Empire Wildlife Crossing

The US 40 Empire Wildlife Crossing project plans to construct a wildlife overpass on US 40 at approximately Mile Point 257 which is near the I-70 and US 40 Empire Interchange (I-70 Exit 232). The wildlife overpass will allow safe connectivity for the largest bighorn sheep herd in the state of Colorado as well as reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Wildlife fencing will be placed along both sides of US 40 (north and south) and extend to the town of Empire and south on County Road 257. This project also plans to apply rockfall mitigation designs and fencing adjacent to the wildlife crossing structure.

Estimated Schedule:

• Construction Summer 2023 through Fall 2024
• Project Cost: Estimated $7M-$10M
• Contractor: TBD

El Rancho West Parking Lot

The El Rancho West Parking Lot project plans to construct a parking lot at the northeast quadrant of the I-70 interchange (eastbound exit 251). Westbound I-70 travelers will take the exit at Evergreen Parkway (Exit 252) and travel on US 40 to reach the parking lot.

Benefits of this project include:

• Electric Vehicle Charging- 5% of parking spaces with potential 25% future installment
• Approximately 150 parking spaces
• Park and Ride
• Bustang and Pegasus Shuttle Service Stop

Estimated Schedule:

• Construction Spring 2024 to Fall 2024
• Project Cost: TBD
• Contractor: TBD

~CDOT