REVISED SCHEDULE as of March 6, 2024:
It’s demolition day(s) on the US 85 Widening Project. Drivers should plan alternate routes around the interchange of C-470 and Santa Fe from March 8 through March 14 as crews reach this significant project milestone.
Around-the-clock work, detours and closures originally scheduled to start March 7, will now take place from 7 p.m. Friday, March 8, until 5:30 a.m. Thursday, March 14. For the safety of crews and the traveling public, there will be no C-470 access to or from US 85, and through traffic on C-470 will be delayed as crews demolish the old US 85 bridge over C-470. A local detour will be in place for northbound and southbound US 85 traffic at C-470 and for access to C-470.
24/7 Traffic Impacts
- Full closures of C-470 to the US 85 off- and on-ramps.
- Full closure of US 85 between County Line Road and Blakeland Drive in Highlands Ranch.
- C-470 through traffic will be rerouted around the interchange via the off- and on-ramps. Significant delays are expected.
- Northbound and southbound US 85 will be detoured around the interchange
What Can You Do?
- If traveling east or west on C-470, expect significant delays, especially during peak travel times. Watch for trucks entering and exiting the work zone. Consider an alternate route.
- If traveling north or south on US 85, take an alternate route to access C-470 or to travel north and south in the area.
- If traveling regionally, take an alternate route to avoid the C-470/US 85 interchange.
- Please watch for crews, heavy machinery and trucks entering and exiting the work zone.
- Heed the speed limit and avoid distracted driving in the work zone.
- Check your travel time on a map app and plan ahead.
“We recognize this impact on our traveling public is significant – both locally and throughout the region,” said Janet Herman, director of Public Works for Douglas County. “The safety of the traveling public is our primary focus, which is why we need this closure. Your patience now will result in a bridge that meets modern safety standards and, ultimately, a safer and more efficient US 85 corridor.”
Detour Maps:
- Regional traffic alternate routes
- Through traffic on C-470
- Eastbound C-470 to US 85 traffic
- Westbound C-470 to US 85 traffic
- Northbound US 85 traffic
- Southbound US 85 traffic
About the Work
This bridge was originally built in November 1968. As part of the US 85 Widening Project, crews must demolish the old bridge to make way for the second half of the new bridge.
Crews will bring in over 10 million pounds of dirt to provide insulation between the roadway below the demolition zone and falling debris. Special crews and machine operators will be onsite and work around the clock to safely remove the bridge and support structures in coordinated efforts.
Over 1,000 truckloads will enter and exit the work zone during demolition operations, including removing over 540,000 pounds of steel rebar and enough concrete debris from the bridge removal to cover the football field at Mile High Stadium, twice. Please watch for merging trucks along C-470 during demolition activities.
Once the old bridge has been removed, work will begin on constructing the eastern portion of the new US 85 bridge. (The first half of the bridge opened in December 2023.)
The newly widened bridge and interchange reconstruction will alleviate traffic and create safer travel as part of the corridor improvements being made by Douglas County and its partners during the US 85 widening and reconstruction project from Highlands Ranch Parkway to north of C-470.
If weather conditions do not allow this work to take place as scheduled, crews will conduct this work at a later date.
Questions?
Hotline: 719-695-0052
Email: [email protected]
Get Updates on the US 85 widening project
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.
Other Roadwork
Interested in knowing what’s happening on roads throughout Douglas County? Sign up for Douglas County’s Cone Zone email notifications. For statewide road conditions, visit cotrip.org.