ARVADA, Colo. — Arvada is canceling the third phase of the W. 72nd Avenue Bond Project because of the steep construction price increase.
In 2018, voters approved $64.5 million to support the widening of W. 72nd Avenue and a new underpass west of Kipling Street.
The first two phases of the project were already completed: The city finished utility work in the whole section of Kipling to Sims along West 2nd Avenue and also completed the widening of the W. 72nd Avenue and sidewalks from Oak to Sims.
The final phase of the project was to build the underpass at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing.
Final cost estimates were provided to the city in December of 2025. The bid increased the final cost of the project to $137 million — nearly $40 million over the previous estimate and double the original approved bond amount.
Deputy City Manager Allison Scheck said the decision to halt the construction was difficult but ultimately, they felt obligated to protect other city funding.
“To fund the underpass at that cost, it would just mean canceling so many other projects, programs, and initiatives that are really important to our community," she said.
Scheck said several factors drove the cost increase, including inflation of construction materials since before the pandemic. The Union Pacific Railroad approvals also took longer than expected, setting the project back by over three years. During that approval time, construction costs only continued to rise.
While the underpass project is being scrapped, the city is still planning on using the rest of the bond funds to improve the area.
“We're planning to repave the street, restore the existing corridor, and just generally clean things up. We'll also be working on the feasibility of an at-grade widening of the railroad crossing, and that's where the underpass was supposed to be,” Scheck said.
According to the City of Arvada, an at-grade option requires new design and a new railroad approval process. They estimate it will likely take 5 to 10 more years to complete.
You can learn more about the future of the project on the city's website.
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