'Like An Earthquake': Central 70 Project Has Homeowners Shaken Up
DENVER (CBS4) — Denver residents who live along Interstate 70 expected the noise and dust that comes with the Central 70 project. Now, they've run into a construction problem that sound walls, or special doors and windows can't fix.
"It's like an earthquake! Our stuff was falling off the walls. The ceiling fans were dancing around," Phil Strait described. Phil and his wife, Charlie, live near I-70 and Brighton Boulevard.
The vibrations they felt were the result of Colorado Department of Transporation crews breaking pavement along the highway. It shakes the foundation of their home and everything inside.
"Nobody told us this was going to happen," said Phil. He credited CDOT for installing soundproof doors and windows, but says the vibrations put the fragile clay pipes under his home at risk.
"That would be very expensive to fix," he added.
The Strait's biggest concern is the impact of the vibrations outside. Heavy concrete slabs that lay on top of the sound wall have begun to fall off.
"They need to remove them or attach them down with pins or something," suggested Phil. "There's some right now that are getting ready to hit the ground."
He showed CBS4's Tori Mason two fallen slabs that were covered in snow, and dangerously close to parked cars.
"I'm afraid this could be an accident waiting to happen," said Phil.
CBS4 reached out to CDOT's Stacia Sellers about the falling concrete. Sellers said that CDOT will look into removing those slabs soon.
As for the vibrations, CDOT says the pavement breaking phase of construction should be wrapping up in the next day or so near that intersection.
