Update 6 p.m. March 11, 2024: The C-470 interchange at U.S. 85 will reopen early Tuesday morning, two days sooner than initially planned, according to Douglas County officials.
Crews finished demolishing the bridge and are clearing the last of the rubble from the roadway, county officials said in an update Monday evening. The interchange will be open before the morning rush hour Tuesday.
Original story: The C-470 interchange at U.S. 85 between Littleton and Highlands Ranch will close for five days while crews demolish the old U.S. 85 bridge, according to a Douglas County release.
The closure begins at 7 p.m. Friday and lasts until 5:30 a.m. March 14. The initial timeline, Thursday to March 13, was delayed because of incoming weather.
During the closure, there will not be access from C-470 to any of the U.S. 85 ramps. U.S. 85 will also be closed between County Line Road and Blakeland Drive in Highlands Ranch. Alternate routes are encouraged.
The bridge demolition is part of an ongoing effort to widen U.S. 85 from four to six lanes. Work began in 2022 and is expected to conclude in 2025.
During the demolition, drivers should expect delays longer than 20 minutes. Detours for travelers on U.S. 85 and C-470 vary, but most converge on Lucent Boulevard and Town Center Drive.
Through traffic on C-470 will exit at U.S. 85 and continue through the intersection before returning to C-470 via the on-ramp.
Instead of taking the exit for U.S. 85 north, travelers on eastbound or westbound C-470 will exit at Lucent Boulevard and travel north onto County Line Road before turning west to access U.S. 85 north. Instead of taking the exit for U.S. 85 south, travelers on eastbound or westbound C-470 also will exit at Lucent Boulevard but will turn south onto Town Center Drive and then west to continue to U.S. 85 south.
Northbound U.S. 85 to C-470 traffic will turn east on Town Center Drive, then continue to Lucent Boulevard and turn north to access the eastbound and westbound C-470 ramps. Northbound U.S. 85 through traffic will turn east onto Town Center Drive, then Lucent Boulevard before continuing north to County Line Road and then west for northbound U.S. 85.
All travelers heading south on U.S. 85 to C-470 will use the flyover to eastbound C-470. Travelers who want to head west on C-470 will exit at Lucent Boulevard and use the on-ramp to westbound C-470. Southbound U.S. 85 through traffic will also use the flyover ramp to go east on C-470 and exit at Lucent Boulevard, but will then turn south to Town Center Drive to return to U.S. 85.
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Updated 10:09 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2024: This article was updated to note that Douglas County changed the timeline for the closures to Friday through March 14.
