CDOT’s Floyd Hill project expected to begin this summer

BY DON IRELAND WEEKLY REGISTER-CALL SENIOR REPORTER

The proposed $700 million I-70 expansion program for Floyd Hill is inching closer to reality. CDOT leaders say the first phase could begin late this spring for the main project, which could potentially impact lucrative casinos and tourist traffic for Black Hawk, Central City and Gilpin County.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other federal and state leaders held a press conference to discuss the Floyd Hill project on Feb. 24, 2022. In the year that’s followed, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) leaders have developed a series of plans for the I-70 mountain corridor –some of which have already begun.

The Floyd Hill project encompasses and eight-mile stretch of I-70 from west of Genesee to the Memorial Tunnels east of Idaho Springs. The work will include changes to Exits 244 and 243, which are heavily-used by motorists heading to Black Hawk, Central City and other parts of Gilpin County. Traffic restrictions are expected along the highway but Highway 6, also known as “The Canyon” will remain open to traffic from Golden to near Black Hawk.

The largest part of the highway-improvement plan calls for adding one extra traffic lane on Floyd Hill, which frequently becomes heavily congested during peak travel times for Denver and

Front Range residents heading into the mountains. Kraemer North America is the contractor for the project.

According to CDOT, final plans should be completed in April for the main portion of the Floyd Hill project, with work anticipated to begin in May. The work, anticipated to be completed in 2028, will include:

• Adding a third westbound travel lane in this two-lane bottleneck of I-70. The new lane would be a tolled “Express Lane,” similar to the one that begins at the Veterans Memorial Tunnel east of Idaho Springs.

• Constructing a missing twomile section of the frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho Springs.

• Adding an eastbound auxiliary lane to reduce conflicts with slow-moving freight and other vehicles in the uphill section of Floyd Hill.

• Improving traffic flow and access at interchanges and intersections.

• Improving design speeds and stopping sight distance on horizontal curves.

• Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail.

• Implementing environmental mitigation to enhance wildlife connectivity, air and water quality, stream conditions, and recreation.

Since the original reconstruction program was announced, there have been several changes, according to CDOT. They include:

• Shifting I-70 westbound alignment north to bottom of existing slope (closer to US 40 and Clear Creek) to improve construction access.

• Relocating U.S. 6 access onto