WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — Colorado's Department of Transportation underwent what it called critical bridge repairs on I-70 West in Wheat Ridge at Kipling Street this weekend. This will impact traffic until 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Then starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, CDOT will once again conduct bridge repairs, creating detours on I-70 East.
"We're just telling folks to avoid the area," said Alex Rose, a public information officer for Wheat Ridge police.
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Rose told Denver7's Tyler Melito on Sunday while the department has noticed the traffic and how people heading from Denver up to the mountains have been impacted, they have not seen a significant increase in calls or accidents.
"Those type of neighborhood traffic complaints, speeding complaints, those are the top things that we hear from our residents in Wheat Ridge, and we just ask people to drive through Wheat Ridge like you live here," Rose outlined.
But Rose says he expects the biggest impacts of the detours have yet to be felt.
"I do think looking ahead, especially for Monday, I think this is going to have an impact on folks' commute to work, whether it's Monday morning or Monday evening until this thing wraps up Tuesday morning," Rose detailed.
But the impacts of the construction isn't just in the form of traffic. Melito spoke with two local businesses, Larson's Ski and Sport, south of I-70, and Lil Nicks Pizza, which is on the north side of the interstate.
"We were slower than we should have been that day, kind of to be expected as people kind of figured it out," Larson's owner John Marriott said.
"It definitely is affecting business probably 20 to 25 percent," Lil Nicks owner Nick Quinatana said.
Marriott and Quintana both told Melito that CDOT was very responsible in their communication about the construction, saying they first learned about the possible impacts more than a month ago.
"It's a necessary evil," Quitana explained. "I think it needs to get done. Obviously, it affects business in a negative way, but hopefully in long term, it'll affect it in a positive way."
Marriott also noted they are doing everything they can to make sure people know they're open for business.
"We're here to serve you. Access is not that bad. If you're coming from the north side, it's a little bit tough. But if you're coming from the south side, please come and see us," Marriott said.
