If you like to bike or walk trails in Highlands Ranch, this update is for you.
Starting Monday, Nov. 7, the C-470 Trail and High Line Canal Trail will be fully closed at US 85 (Santa Fe Drive), with detours in place for trail users. These closures will stay in place into 2024 while crews install new underpasses to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely pass under US 85 as part of the US 85: Highlands Ranch Parkway to C-470 construction project.
C-470 Trail Detour Route
C-470 Trail users crossing US 85 will detour north onto the High Line Canal Trail to Railroad Spur Trail. Go east across US 85 to Mary Carter Greenway Trail and go south. Continue south to the C-470 underpass to join the C-470 Trail.
High Line Canal Trail Detour Route
High Line Canal Trail users will detour east on Carder Court to Division Street and turn south. From Division Street, continue to Town Center Drive and go east to join the trail.
Project Information
This project will widen and reconstruct 2.5 miles of US 85 from Highlands Ranch Parkway to C-470 from four to six lanes. The project also includes the replacement and widening of the existing bridge that carries US 85 over C-470. Major US 85 intersection improvements will occur at Highlands Ranch Parkway, Town Center Drive, Blakeland Drive, the C-470 Interchange ramps and at County Line Road.
Multimodal improvements include bus stop enhancements, a new shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians on the east side of US 85, a below-grade crossing for the C-470 Trail at US 85, a below-grade crossing for the Highline Canal Trail at US 85, and a new pedestrian link from the Wolhurst Senior Community to the C-470 Trail.
Construction activities will require reduced speeds, lane closures, trail detours and various full closures.
Get Updates
Stay updated by signing up for emails – select “US 85 Construction.”
For more information about the upcoming work and to stay updated on construction impacts, please visit our website, douglas.co.us/us-85-construction.
This project is Douglas County’s largest transportation project to date. Project partners include the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the Federal Highway Administration, Highlands Ranch Metro District, and Chatfield Basin Developers. Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.
A safe and accessible multimodal transportation network is one of the Board of County Commissioner’s six core priorities. Read more about the County’s transportation initiatives online.