CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. – If you’ve driven on Interstate 70 heading into the mountains recently, you’ve likely noticed the ongoing Floyd Hill construction project. You may have wondered what it’s all for, how far along crews are, and why the highway occasionally closes overnight.
The Floyd Hill project started in 2023 with the goal of improving safety, enhancing transportation options by adding an express lane, straightening out curves along the corridor, and improving the overall flow of traffic.
🚧 WATCH: Denver7's Ethan Carlson breaks down what you need to plan for as construction hits halfway point
Colorado Department of Transportation Spokesperson Stacia Sellers said the project has now officially hit the halfway point.
“It’s incredible to see all of the progress that takes place,” Sellers said. “Now, it is just extremely visually impactful. You can see what that future of I-70 is looking like with those bridge columns. It's impressive construction, impressive engineering as you're driving along I-70.”
Westbound construction is on schedule to be finished next year, with eastbound lanes set to be complete by the end of 2028.
Those massive towers standing next to the highway are actually support structures for the new westbound highway. CDOT developed what it calls a segmental bridge concept to avoid long-term closures of I-70, since there are no adequate detour routes in the area.
“That allows us to build the bridge in segments. Piece by piece, over the highway and over Clear Creek, those bridge columns that you see are a part of that future viaduct, but you’ll also see some support structures on top of it,” Sellers said.
Those support structures are the reason for a series of overnight road closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., running every night from Sunday, May 10 through Thursday, May 14.
“We’re going to be removing the support structure on those bridge columns on westbound I-70… and then we’re going to be setting girders on the new westbound bridge on I-70 over Clear Creek, then you start to build out that new bridge and that new alignment,” Sellers said.
If you need to travel through the area during one of the closures, CDOT will have a detour route in place that they say will add less than 10 minutes to trips.
While the new construction is impressive to see from the road, Sellers has an important safety reminder for drivers passing through.
“For those who are unfortunately in the driver’s seat as you’re going through construction, just keep your eyes on the roadway… and then as passengers, of course, it’s very cool to see,” Sellers said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.