All westbound lanes of Interstate 70 will close at 10 p.m. Friday at the exit to Interstate 270 in northeast Denver for a breakneck weekend of final paving work on that side of the highway.
When drivers return to the road at 5 a.m. Monday, they’ll notice a roomier configuration that matches I-70’s eastbound side — with fresh asphalt, wider lanes and space for the express toll lane that’s being added as part of the Central 70 project.
The last major traffic shift of the 4-year-old, $1.3 billion highway widening project will place the final 2-mile stretch into its final alignment, roughly between Brighton and Colorado boulevards. Finishing work, including toll equipment testing, will remain in the 10-mile project zone through the rest of the year but have much less impact on traffic, the Colorado Department of Transportation says.
The one-way weekend closure will affect a broader area, between I-270 and Brighton Boulevard. That will allow a detour route that takes westbound I-70 onto I-270, westbound Interstate 76 and southbound Interstate 25, which will take them back toward I-70.
The westbound on-ramp at Brighton will be open but will have intermittent closures, CDOT says.
For now, the left-hand express lanes are open without tolls in each direction through most of the Central 70 project zone, which extends east to Chambers Road in Aurora. Tolling is expected to begin in early 2023, as the project wraps up.
Still underway above a 1,000-foot highway tunnel next to Swansea Elementary School is the installation of a 4-acre cover park.
Components taking shape include a central plaza, a multi-purpose playing field and an events lawn with a stage. The park is expected to open in November.
