I-70 Floyd Hill Project Reaches Major Milestone as Winter Looms

Featured Image: Courtesy of CDOT | Location: Floyd Hill, Interstate 70

With winter on the doorstep in the Rocky Mountains, good news is always welcome when it comes to I-70. Historically, that good news is hard to find, but not this year. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has announced the near-completion of the infamous Floyd Hill project's eastern section. This rounds out phase one of three, as the massive undertaking seeks to eliminate bottlenecking through an elaborate plan including a new 115-foot bridge, wider roads and a new express lane.

The eastern section spans three miles of interstate, located between exit 248 and the middle of Floyd Hill. In a recent press release updating the public, CDOT explained that, "motorists will be driving on a newly widened and realigned highway in this area featuring new pavement and fresh striping in full-width lanes and shoulders." The hope is that while this is far from the finish line, this will offer dramatic improvements in wait times when compared to years past.

The press release continues, "This new alignment will allow for both a future eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp to give slower-moving vehicles more time to merge and a future westbound I-70 Express Lane, in addition to the two free general purpose lanes on westbound I-70, which will improve travel time reliability."

Anyone who has made the journey to the central Colorado ski scene knows the pains brought on by the all-too-common I-70 traffic. Last winter, those pains were exacerbated due to traffic delays caused by rock blasting for the project. While those 20-minute holds will continue this winter during off-peak travel times (9 AM to 3 PM Monday through Thursday), the newly constructed stretch of road will help ease congestion.

Floyd Hill Project Director Kurt Kionka confirmed that CDOT is removing nearly one million cubic yards of rock. Next time you're complaining about a 20-minute halt, keep that in mind as these crews have been putting in countless hours on demolition alone, with more to go.

It's hard to imagine an area of road in the entire U.S. more in need of renovation than the Floyd Hill area. Statistics from the Colorado State Patrol show that in 2022, just one year before construction began, there were 100 crashes along the eight-mile segment of I-70 from the start of Floyd Hill to exit 241 in Idaho Springs.

This is due to a number of factors, but the two greatest are the road's steep grade and the two-lane congestion. As you drive westbound on I-70 coasting down Floyd Hill, the road rolls to a steep 8% grade for a mile before making a sharp left turn. While much of the Interstate has three lanes for drivers to navigate, westbound I-70 at Floyd Hill has just two.

In the winter, the danger is amplified by snowfall, poor visibility, wildlife crossings and more. The long-term vision realized will create a third lane, a flatter, wider road and a much more gentle left-hand curve thanks to a massive bridge that will hug the mountain.

Renderings of the future at Sawmill Gulch (left) and Floyd Hill (center, right) | Images: Courtesy of CDOT

Even after completion, the current I-70 road (pictured in the middle and right images above beneath the new bridge) will remain and serve a new purpose, linking the frontage road between Central City and US Highway 6. An important improvement, this will serve as both an alternate route and a detour for travelers when I-70 is inevitably shut down.

Much of the Interstate is layered frontage roads that are commonly used by locals to avoid traffic, but this section doesn't offer such a route at the moment. A massive benefit, the repurposed two miles of road will be a lifesaver for many east and west bound skiers in the future.

Now that the phase one, the eastern section, is nearing completion, crews will turn their focus westward for phase two. This area is located betwen Hidden Valley interchange and Idaho Springs at exit 241. Here, CDOT will continue building a third westbound lane, rebuild and expand bridges over Clear Creek, and resurface the Clear Creek Greenway trails.

The goal is to then complete phase three, the bridge located at the bottom of Floyd Hill, and have Westbound I-70 fully alligned by 2027. The entire project is on schedule to be finished by 2029. Though this is one year behind the original plan, it's a small price to pay for longterm safety and sustainability. Though fluctuating material costs and economic turbulance may weigh on the project over the coming years.

Map of I-70 Floyd Hill Project, with phase one in blue, phase two in purple and phase three in orange

Image: Courtesy of CDOT

For the time being, Colorado front range warriors, mountain locals and visiting tourists alike can all be thankful that Floyd Hill is moving ahead, with the new road in the eastern section already in operation this winter. While the continued delays will no doubt be a burden, keep in mind that everyone is in the same boat waiting to get to the hill, and we can't wait to see you up there.

Currently, early season conditions are prevelant, but Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, Keystone, Breckenridge and Copper are all open for skiing, with Vail, Eldora and others slated to open in the coming days!

As you head onto I-70, be sure to stay up to date with alerts by texting "floydhill" to 21000, calling the project info line at 720-994-2368, or visiting the Floyd Hill Project website.