I-70 Six Lane Reconstruction

Six Lane Highway reconstruction as proposed by CDOT in the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, (48 miles total - in Clear Creek County, mp 247 to mp 213, in Eagle County, 190 to 180 and 173 to 169) including excavation and fill work and tunneling for relaxed curve geometry and 65 mph design speeds will be difficult and take many years to complete. 

All Highway expansion alternatives in the Draft PEIS are in the Greatest Construction Impact group; however CDOT does not suggest any alternate means of transportation through or around Corridor construction areas during the extended construction period.  It is assumed that Front Range motorists traveling to the mountains will continue to use I-70 as their primary route and tolerate increasing construction congestion and delays throughout the 15 year construction period.

Highway construction including special innovations to accommodate corridor community values, safety, environmental protection and the aesthetics that are so important to the people that live in and travel the Corridor, will need extensive engineering, design, planning and mitigation.  Weather, narrow canyons, huge rock faces, blasting, additional tunnel bores, and minimizing intrusion into watershed, rock fall and avalanche areas; minimizing disturbance of mill tailings and other heavily mineralized areas and minimizing intrusion(s) into private property, towns, parks and historic and landmark districts will all contribute to the length of the highway construction period.

The length of the productive construction season in the mountains is heavily influenced by weather, especially at higher elevations.   Snow storms, wind, freezing temperatures and frozen ground will delay construction progress in the winter months.  The Draft PEIS indicates that in the higher elevations of the corridor, between East Vail and Georgetown, winter construction would typically not be feasible.   It should be assumed that the bulk of the highway construction activity would be carried out during the traditional spring, summer and fall periods. 

Highway reconstruction including excavation and tunneling for 65 mph design speeds and the increased footprint for construction disturbance zones will make interference with Corridor traffic very likely.  It will be a significant challenge to maintain an adequate level of operation of the current I-70 highway during the highway expansion period. 

The Draft PEIS indicates that during the 15 year highway construction period, reductions in the number of lanes, and temporary total closures will occur during off peak travel periods to accommodate excavation, blasting, boring, rock scaling and the movement of equipment and materials.  During peak periods lane closures will be avoided, but are possible.  Lane and shoulder narrowings, transitions and detours from old pavement to new pavement with reduced standards and speeds, and shoulders barricaded from traffic in order to allow construction work to proceed at their edges should be expected.  The use of traffic control devices will be extensive and will affect the speed of traffic in construction areas.  Construction activity in close proximity of traffic will likely result in extended traffic interference.  All of these items will add to travel times over the 15 year highway construction period.

CDOT assumes a best case scenario for highway expansion construction management and mobility.  Assuming a best case scenario is not necessarily good planning. 

CDOT has not publicly acknowledged the almost certain mobility restrictions, economic and community impacts that will occur during a 15 year highway expansion construction period.  Colorado’s general public needs to have a better understanding of these impacts and how the Front Range’s primary access to the mountains will be affected by I-70 highway expansion during a 15 year construction period.