Bridge Demolition, Rebuild Near Idaho Springs Part Of I-70 Project
IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Crews will demolish a bridge spanning Interstate 70 next week to help with construction on the heavily-trafficked route to the mountains.
The bridge, which connects Idaho Springs and the highway south to Mount Evans, will be destroyed and rebuilt starting next week.
"We are modifying this bridge so that it will be wider," Emily Wilfong, a CDOT spokeswoman, said. "It will improve safety for those traveling underneath it. It will also be wider for bicyclists and pedestrians."
The 103 bridge will be completed over the next six weeks.
It's part of a larger interstate-widening project that's supposed to alleviate many of the traffic headaches that have grown for motorists over the years.
Crew are widening the twin tunnels near Idaho Springs, and they're creating a toll lane on the eastbound route from Empire to the tunnels. Right now, the interstate is squeezed between cement barriers.
The toll lane is scheduled to open next fall. Crews will work on the bridge and the lane-widening until Thanksgiving, when they'll halt until the spring.
The toll lane will be primarily used on Sunday afternoons when traffic back to Denver is heaviest. Commuters not wanting to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic can pay to use the toll lane.
CDOT said the peak-period shoulder lane is still within its $72 million budget.
Telephone Town Hall
CDOT will host a telephone town hall on Wednesday at 7 p.m. that will focus on winter operation plans and active projects along the I-70 mountain corridor. Participants can ask CDOT questions about the twin tunnels and peak-period shoulder lane projects. To participate, call 877-229-8493 and enter 112034.
