DENVER – The Federal Highway Administration Jan. 19 approved the reconstruction of Interstate 70 through central Denver, concluding a 14-year outreach and community engagement process.
The official decision outlines what will be built, how it will be funded and which environmental and community measures will be implemented. The approval concludes the federally required National Environmental Protection Act process and allows the Colorado Department of Transportation to proceed with its proposed Central 70 Project.
Scheduled to begin in 2018, Central 70 will reconstruct a 10-mile stretch of I-70, add one new express lane each direction, remove the aging 53-year old viaduct, lower the interstate between Brighton and Colorado boulevards and place a 4-acre park over a portion of the lowered interstate near Swansea Elementary School.
“Improving I-70 will improve the quality of life for thousands in the Denver area, and improve public safety for hundreds of thousands each day,” said Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “This project will make travel safer and more efficient in one of the Rocky Mountain region’s busiest areas, setting the stage for years’ of economic growth.”
“For the first time since I-70 was opened to travelers in 1964, we are ready to deliver long- overdue safety and mobility improvements that will strengthen this economic lifeline for the region and the state,” said CDOT Executive Director Shailen Bhatt. “The Central 70 Project also redefines the role of I-70 in local communities, which were originally divided by the interstate 50 years ago.”
In addition to constructing the highway cover, CDOT will remodel portions of Swansea Elementary School, offer improvements to homes closest to the interstate in the Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods, and contribute $2 million to affordable housing.
Next steps include the selection of a developer partner to design, finance, build, maintain and operate the facility, followed by final design and construction. More information is available on the Central 70 project website, central70.codot.gov.
For more information, visit www.I-70East.com.
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