JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — East and westbound U.S. Route 40 from Genesee to Lookout Mountain closed for four days, beginning Monday, the Colorado Department of Transportation said in a news release.
The shutdown is happening so CDOT can excavate part of the road to install grates similar to cattle guards and fencing to guide wildlife to a new underpass, CDOT said.
"This is the first major wildlife crossing to be constructed on the I-70 Mountain Corridor," CDOT said when it first began the project in November.
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The Genesee Wildlife Underpass project spans Interstate 70 between Genesee and Lookout Mountain.
The area sees the highest number of car crashes involving wildlife on I-70, east of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnel, according to CDOT.
The underpass "will allow wildlife to safely cross underneath the interstate," CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said in November. “Reducing animal-vehicle conflicts and improving wildlife connectivity is a major element to the overall improvement of travel time reliability, safety, and mobility.”
Construction on the Genesee Wildlife Underpass project began in November 2022, and is on track to be finished this spring, according to CDOT.
To get on eastbound US 40 this week, use eastbound I-70 to Lookout Mountain, CDOT recommended. Drivers on westbound US 40 won't be able to reach the Genessee and Mount Vernon interchange during the duration of the closure.
Starting next Monday, CDOT will close the Genesee on-ramp to westbound I-70. Drivers can take eastbound US 40 or eastbound I-70 and use the Lookout Mountain on-ramp to get back to westbound I-70, CDOT advised.
