Civil rights complaint filed against CDOT's I-70 expansion

DENVER -- Drivers are facing another road block for the I-70 expansion.

Traffic on I-70 can be a nightmare, and if you drive through there you're probably ready for the $1.2 billion expansion project to start about a year from now.

But people who live nearby in northeast Denver say the expansion is discriminatory because the neighborhood is 84 percent Latino, and all those extra cars will impact their quality of life and health even more so than the existing Interstate.

Now, several community members are coming together to file a civil rights lawsuit. 

In a statement, CDOT said it's making unprecedented efforts to make improvements to the community and has been working with the neighborhood for the past 13 years.

This is a matter for the Federal Highway Administration to review and consider. However, CDOT stands behind the last thirteen years of analysis and work with the community to find a solution for I-70 that addresses an aging and congested highway while also reconnecting communities. CDOT's engagement with residents and businesses as well as the commitments we've made, including a 4 acre park over the interstate, improvements to the community, homes and school, are unprecedented and reflect the Department's intention to transform I-70 for travelers and adjacent neighborhoods.

Earlier this year the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit challenging the air quality standards use to give the project the green light.

That lawsuit is still pending.