Major traffic shift ahead for I-70 Floyd Hill construction
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado travelers are warned about a coming traffic shift on the Interstate 70 mountain corridor as the yearslong Floyd Hill construction project continues.
The Floyd Hill project is meant to relieve the two-lane bottleneck on an 8-mile stretch of I-70, from west of Evergreen to Idaho Springs. Work began in summer 2023 and is expected to finish by the end of 2028.
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This month will bring an expansion of the project and a major traffic shift, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Westbound traffic will see the impacts.
I-70 westbound construction update
Starting Wednesday, March 20, the construction project will expand west between Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway (Exit 243) and Colorado Boulevard/Idaho Springs (Exit 241).
Improvements in this area will include:
Straightening curves to improve safety and allow motorists to maintain a 55-mph speed
Adding a westbound I-70 Express Lane that extends from the top of Floyd Hill through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels, allowing users the choice to pay a toll for a more reliable trip or continue to use the general-purpose lanes for free
Reconstructing two bridges over Clear Creek
Travelers are warned to expect impacts along the stretch through the summer. This will include overnight lane closures, narrower lanes and shoulders, reduced speed limits and construction use of the eastbound I-70 express lane during non-operational times.
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Also ahead is a major traffic shift that will mean narrower lanes and shoulders on a stretch of I-70.
Starting the week of March 24, crews will shift westbound I-70 traffic south toward the median between County Road 65/Beaver Brook (Exit 248) and east of the U.S. 6 interchange (Exit 244). Work is set for overnight, weather depending.
Drivers are urged to pay close attention and to follow the work zone speed limit of 45 mph.
I-70 construction project goals
The $700 million Floyd Hill project will add a westbound express lane on I-70 from west of Evergreen to eastern Idaho Springs and add flow and safety features, like better sign distance on curves and improvements at interchanges and intersections. Work also includes adding a frontage road along a 2-mile stretch between Evergreen and Idaho Springs and an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for slow vehicles.
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The project also includes improvements to the Clear Creek greenway trail, which is expected to remain closed to bicyclists, pedestrians and anglers until late 2027. It will also help “create safer wildlife movements and improve air and water quality, stream conditions and recreation,” according to CDOT.
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