Road Construction Updates
Iliff Avenue closure/detour to continue March 17
The overnight closure of Iliff Avenue between Blackhawk Street and southbound I-225 on/off ramps and the
northbound I0225 on/off ramps will continue from 9 p.m. March 17 to 5:30 a.m. March 18 (weather dependent) to
complete the remaining girder work on Iliff Avenue.
Use Mississippi Avenue or Parker Road as alternate exists; refer to detour map below for more details. Please follow
posted detour signs.
This closure and future anticipated closures/detours are necessary to provide a safe work zone as crews complete
bridge construction work, while maintaining safety to the traveling public. This closure is required for setting bridge
girders on the Iliff Avenue light rail bridge, which is scheduled for completion in spring 2014.
Construction activities are weather permitting and subject to change; should changes occur, we will notify you.
For additional construction and detour information, call 720-863-8505 or visit www.rtd-fastracks.com.
Colorado Department of Transportation hosts public open house for the I-225 Planning and Environmental
Linkages Study from Yosemite Street to I-25
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will host a public open house from 6 to 8 p.m. March 19 at the
Cherry Creek High School (west cafeteria), 9300 E. Union Ave. in Greenwood Village, to allow residents and
travelers to learn more about the status of the Planning and Environmental Linkages study on southbound I-225 from
Yosemite Street to I-25.
“The completion of the roadway widening project from Parker Road to Mississippi Avenue is scheduled for late this
summer,” said CDOT Resident Engineer Jerome Estes. “The need for improvements within the southbound I-225
bottleneck between Yosemite Street and I-25 will be further underscored when the construction of the widening
project to the north is finally opened to traffic. We are seeking public input on the range of potential solutions
developed by the study team to address the last bottleneck on I-225. The upcoming public meeting on March 19th will
be a great opportunity for interested citizens to learn more about improvement possibilities within the study area and
actively participate in the study process which will ultimately lead to a recommended concept.”
The public open house will last for two hours such that the public can drop by anytime between 6 and 8 p.m. There
will be a study overview provided at 6:30 p.m. for those interested. CDOT representatives will be available to listen to
your input and answer your questions about the study. There will be several displays showing the data collected, the
concepts developed, and the screening conducted to date to reach a reasonable number of concepts to study in
more detail.
For additional study and public open house information or to provide comments, visit the project website at
www.coloradodot.info/projects/I-225pel.
I-225 widening project to implement northbound lane closures for traffic realignment
Beginning 8 p.m. Feb. 27, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will implement lane closures along I225. These closures are being done as part of the I-225 widening project. From 8 p.m. through 9 p.m. the left lane of
northbound I-225 from Yosemite to Parker Road will be closed. From 9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m., the two left lanes of I-225
will be closed. These closures are necessary in order for crews to realign northbound I-225 traffic and to restripe the
lanes. Also from 10 p.m. through 5:30 a.m. Feb. 27, northbound I-225 from Parker Road to Iliff Avenue will have
alternating right and left lane closures for traffic realignment and restriping.
The I-225 widening project will result widen I-225 to accommodate three lanes in each direction with an additional
auxiliary lane. This is the final project to complete the widening of I-225 between I-25 and I-70, eliminating the
bottleneck that now exists at Mississippi Avenue. As part of the project, the Yale Avenue bridge over I-225 will be
replaced and other minor roadway elements will be completed to accommodate RTD’s extension of light rail from
Parker Road to Iliff Avenue. The project is being funding by CDOT and RTD and is scheduled to be complete by
September 2014.
Abilene Street full closure to be extended
Iliff to Jewell avenues through spring 2014
The I-225 Rail Line team is moving into a new phase of construction on Abilene Street and has extended the full
closure from Iliff up to Jewell avenues. This closure is expected to last through spring 2014. Business access will be
maintained at all times; follow detour signage. Refer to the map below for alternate routes (remember to use caution
when driving through the school zone on Blackhawk Street).
Detour: Motorists accessing restaurants and businesses along Abilene Street and Evans Avenue will be detoured:
•
Southbound Abilene Street traffic will be redirected at Jewell Avenue to Blackhawk Street
•
Iliff Avenue traffic will be directed at Blackhawk to Evans Avenue
•
Pedestrians are advised to use the same detour
•
Northbound and southbound through traffic should use Sable Boulevard as an alternate route
If you are a business manager/owner…
As part of our outreach efforts during construction, we are excited to announce the development of a new page on
our I-225 Rail Line website titled “Support Local Businesses Along the Line” that includes links to local Aurora
businesses. This is a great opportunity to promote support for your business during construction. We encourage you
to email us to include your business name and a link to your website to showcase coupons, happy hours, or other
promotions you may be offering to customers. We also have provided helpful hints on how to survive construction.
We understand the challenges construction of the I-225 Rail Line might bring to your business, and we appreciate
your continued patience.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
We look forward to you participation.
Get More Information
Website: I-225 Light Rail Line (click on construction information)
Email: I-225@rtd-fastracks.com
Construction Information Line: 720-863-8505
East Corridor Commuter Rail and Peoria Grade Separation Construction Projects.
Roadway Impacts Update: Week of March 17, 2014
Smith Road: Smith Road between Moline and Peoria will be closed along with two of the southbound lanes of Peoria
between 39th and 33rd for installation overhang supports. The work is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. March 16 and
extend through the night with completion and cleanup scheduled to be complete for the March 17 rush hour traffic.
The work is being done for the Peoria Crossing Project and a similar closure may be needed the following weekend
for installation of deck plates.
Smith Road: The work that was scheduled on eastbound Smith Road just west of Airport Boulevard for March 17
and 18 has been canceled. This work to allow the girders for the East Corridor Railway to be staged will be on hold
for at least six months based on new conditions for the commuter rail bridge set by Union Pacific Railroad.
Airport Boulevard: North and southbound lanes of Airport Boulevard between Smith Road and 32nd Avenue will be
reduced to one lane in each direction at various times over the next three weeks as overhang supports and formwork
is set on the overhead railway. Lane reductions will be limited to non peak traffic hours. The railway contractor hopes
to have most of their overhead work complete and concrete cast by early April.
Ongoing Peoria Crossing Project Notifications
Turn restrictions from eastbound Smith Road
Right turns are currently prohibited from eastbound Smith Road onto southbound Peoria Street for work on the Peoria
Street bridge.
Advance warning signage along eastbound Smith Road will direct motorists to take Moline Street south to 33rd
Avenue to access Peoria Street. The right turn restriction at Peoria Street will be in place for about two months.
Peoria between 33rd and 35th
Currently, the right northbound lane of Peoria between 33rd and 35th will be closed to through traffic through
December as utilities are relocated, a new drive to the business park is built, and the old drive is closed. Two lanes of
traffic will remain open on northbound Peoria.
Please note: Peoria Street between 39th and 33rd avenues will continue to have a long-term closure of the far right
southbound lane during construction of the Peoria Crossing Project. This lane closure creates a work zone that will
allow crews to safely build the new bridge just west of Peoria Street while keeping the road open to travelers.
The Peoria Crossing Project involves building an overpass bridge just west of the current Peoria Street alignment to
span the Union Pacific Railroad and East Rail Line tracks, separating vehicle traffic from passing railroads. The new
bridge is scheduled to open in June 2014 with project completion scheduled for September 2014.
Motorists who travel south on Peoria Street in this area should allow for extra time while drivers become accustomed
to this change.
This schedule is weather dependent and subject to change. For more information on the Peoria Crossing Project, call
855-324-5373 or visit the project website at www.denvergov.org/peoriacrossing.
The Aurora Line Weekend of March 14 Construction Activities:
Area A – Iliff Station to Exposition Avenue

Full closure of Iliff Avenue and I-225 intersection, and northbound I-225 on/off-ramps March 14 to 16 and
possibly March 17 (weather dependent) from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. each night; see alternate routes
The Aurora Line Week of March 17 Construction Activities:
Area A - Iliff Station to Exposition Avenue

Iliff Avenue and Abilene Street Intersection restrictions ongoing for several weeks
o Eastbound left lane and two westbound left lanes
o Northbound I-225 off-ramp through lane

Abilene Street
o Iliff to Jewell avenues FULL CLOSURE through spring 2014; see alternate routes (use caution through
school zone on Blackhawk Street)
o Florida to Jewell avenues southbound overnight lane restrictions
o Exposition to Mississippi avenues southbound right lane closure

Northbound I-225 off-ramp to Mississippi Avenue far left turn lane closed
Area C - 2nd and Abilene Station to 6th Avenue

6th Avenue and I-225 intersection ongoing intermittent restrictions
o Westbound far right turn lane to northbound I-225 on-ramp
o Eastbound and westbound left lanes
o Northbound I-225 off-ramp to 6th Avenue far right turn lane
Encourage your neighbors and co-workers to sign up for I-225 Rail Line Construction Alerts and to support local
businesses along Abilene Street - access from Blackhawk Street detour.
Tower Road to East Colfax Avenue update
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has begun reconstructing the 2.5-mile segment of Interstate 70
between Tower Road and Colfax Avenue (U.S. 40/287). Work for this project will consist of removing the existing
asphalt and replacing it with concrete pavement, shoulder widening, and new bridges over the Union Pacific Railroad
and Smith Road. The project also includes new drainage ponds, guardrails, curbs and gutters, signing and striping.
The left hand lane of I-70 eastbound from Tower Road to Colfax Avenue will be closed for approximately six months.
This will take that stretch of eastbound I-70 down to one lane for the duration of the closure. This work is necessary to
demolish and reconstruct the westbound bridge. During this time, the westbound traffic will be crossed over to the
eastbound lanes.
One lane of westbound traffic will also be closed for the duration of this phase of the project beginning about Feb. 9.
Originally, the design for this project included two year lane reductions along this stretch taking each direction of I-70
down to one lane through summer 2015.
The bridge demolition and reconstruction that is part of this project will replace a bridge that is at capacity. The bridge
currently in place will be replaced with a bridge that can handle the volume and speed of traffic traveling that stretch
of road. The new bridge will also include wider shoulder lanes that will improve safety for all motorists as well as allow
for future expansion to 3 lanes each direction.
During this phase of construction, the on ramp from northbound Tower Road to eastbound I-70 and the on ramp from
northbound E-470 to I-70 will not have dedicated acceleration lanes. Please use caution in these areas and be aware
of surrounding traffic. Motorists traveling in this area are encouraged to allow for extra time to get to their destinations
and to use caution. By removing and replacing the bridge in two segments traffic flow can continue on this stretch of
road with lane reductions.
Speed limits in the area have been reduced from 75 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour, this is an active construction
area on a busy stretch of roadway please go Slow In The Cone Zone.
City of Aurora road construction updates
Weekly construction updates for city of Aurora projects are posted on the city’s website weather permitting. For more
information, call the Street Division at 303-326-8200.
CDOT road construction updates
View the weekly construction update from the Colorado Department of Transportation.