Special to the Surveyor

The I-25 North Express Lanes project between Berthoud and Johnstown will enter a new phase of construction in late October 2020.

The project team will host a virtual public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6–7 p.m. to inform communities, property owners and drivers along the corridor about upcoming project improvements, schedule and major travel impacts to expect during this phase. This virtual public meeting will be presented as an online webinar.

The meeting will be recorded and available for viewing later on the project website, codot.gov/projects/north-i-25, for those who are unable to attend the live virtual event.

Attendees for the live virtual event will log on through the link below, and follow along with the presentation. The webinar setup will also give community members the opportunity to submit questions and concerns to be answered along the way by the project team, as they would in an in-person meeting.

Construction in this portion of the project will include bridge construction, utility work and installation of new drainage culverts between Colorado Highway 56 and Larimer County Road 16. One of the big areas of focus will be the construction of the new CO 56 and I-25 interchange, which includes flipping the interchange so that I-25 runs over CO 56, instead of under it. Roundabouts will be added, and the carpool lot will be relocated at the northeast corner of the interchange. The team will also preview the next phase of construction, which includes adding the Express Lane and wider shoulders in each direction on I-25 and is set to begin in early 2021.

Initially, motorists can anticipate shoulder closures, lane shifts and additional impacts along the southbound outside shoulder of I-25 to accommodate the first phase of bridge construction and utility relocations.

The state of Colorado continues to practice social distancing, limited capacity in public spaces and follow the Governor’s mask mandate. With this in mind, the project team will keep community members safe and limit COVID-19 risks by hosting this meeting virtually. Meeting details are as follows:

Day: Thursday, Oct. 8

Time: 6–7 p.m.

Location: Online via Zoom meeting link

Communities along the I-25 North corridor are expanding rapidly, contributing to major economic growth in Northern Colorado. CDOT will support this growth by delivering the I-25 North Express Lanes. This project aims to improve safety along this busy stretch of I-25 as part of CDOT’s Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. In the section of I-25 between Berthoud and Johnstown, this project will:

• Increase highway capacity by adding an Express Lane in each direction
• Improve infrastructure by reconstructing interchanges
• Improve safety by replacing ten aging bridges and the Great Western Railroad crossing to improve geometric deficiencies (bridge clearance, horizontal curves, etc.)
• Improve mobility by improving the carpool lots, constructing sidewalks, and building infrastructure for future Express Bus Service (Bustang) (start of service is not yet known).
• Increase technology by incorporating the use of intelligent transportation systems
• Improve drainage through major utility improvements

During construction, two lanes of traffic on I-25 will be maintained in each direction during peak travel times, but drivers can expect overnight lane closures in the area. In addition, lane and shoulder widths will be minimized and speed limits will be reduced. Please pay attention and follow posted signage.