C-470 Concrete Repairs Complete, Resurfacing Begins

DOUGLAS/JEFFERSON COUNTY— Crews have completed all of the concrete repairs on eastbound and westbound C-470 between I-25 and Santa Fe Drive and asphalt resurfacing is just beginning. Since temperatures are not yet warm enough for paving during the overnight hours, crews will continue to work on weekends.

“With the concrete work complete, we will micro-surface C-470, which seals the concrete and levels the pavement,” said CDOT Project Engineer Doug Liane. “Once that work is complete, we will resurface both directions of C-470 in asphalt for a smooth driving surface.”

This weekend, crews will work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. The following closures will be in place:
Closures on Saturday, April 17, 2010
• Westbound C-470 between University Boulevard and Santa Fe Drive: The left lane of westbound C-470 will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
• Eastbound C-470 between University Boulevard and Yosemite Street: One lane of eastbound C-470 will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
• Lucent Boulevard to Westbound C-470: The ramp from Lucent Boulevard to westbound C-470 will be completely closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Detour: Motorists can take County Line Road to Santa Fe Drive where access to westbound C-470 is available.
• Westbound C-470 to Lucent Boulevard: The ramp from westbound C-470 to Lucent Boulevard will be completely closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Detour: Motorists can take Santa Fe Drive to County Line Road where access to Lucent Boulevard is available.
• Quebec Street to Eastbound C-470: The ramp from Quebec Street to eastbound C-470 will be completely closed from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Detour: Motorists can take County Line Road to Yosemite Street or I-25.

Closures on Sunday, April 18, 2010
• Westbound C-470 between University Boulevard and Santa Fe Drive: The right lane of westbound C-470 will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
• Westbound C-470 to Santa Fe Drive: The ramp from westbound C-470 to Santa Fe Drive will be completely closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Detour: Motorists can take Platte Canyon Road to Mineral Avenue where access to Santa Fe Drive is available.
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at University Boulevard: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at University will be closed Sunday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

In addition to the weekend work, the following lane closures will be in place Monday, April 19th through Friday, April 23rd, weather permitting:
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at University Boulevard: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at University Boulevard will be closed Monday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at Broadway: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at Broadway will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at Santa Fe Drive: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at Santa Fe Drive will be closed on Thursday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

Delays are expected during work hours and alternate routes are strongly advised. CDOT would like to remind motorists to obey all traffic signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.” Most fines will be doubled if the infraction occurs in the work zone.

This work is part of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project. The $32 million project will repair concrete along nine miles of C-470 and then pave the entire length in asphalt. Concrete repairs will also be made along 26 miles of the C-470 bike path between I-25 and I-70.

Castle Rock Construction Co. of Centennial, CO is the contractor for this project, which is scheduled to be complete by the end of September 2010.

In all, Colorado will receive more than $400 million from the Recovery Act for highway projects and $103 million for transit projects. For more information about how Colorado is putting the recovery act to work, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery. For a list of CDOT’s Recovery Act projects, visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/arra.

The spending goes mainly to road, bridge work that bolsters trucking infrastructure. The latest figure, posted on the Recovery.gov site, is up from $10.264 billion as of March 26. DOT has made nearly $38 billion available to states for infrastructure projects under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and issues payments once it confirms work has been done.

Go to the Journal of Commerce to read the entire story.

Resurfacing on US 160 west of Del Norte

RIO GRANDE COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation has begun another resurfacing project in the San Luis Valley that will improve US 160 east of Del Norte. This project is made possible with $ 7.5 million in funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), as well an additional $482,000 in CDOT resurfacing funds.

“We had a number of great ARRA projects this past construction season, with many winning state and national awards for quality,” CDOT Region 5 Transportation Director Richard Reynolds said. “We also had great prices and these savings allowed us to fund this resurfacing project on US 160 west of Del Norte. In addition to repaving almost 15 miles of US 160, we will be adding Americans with Disability Act-approved sidewalk ramps to aid access from the highway to Del Norte’s sidewalks.”

CDOT contractor, APC Southern Construction Company of Penrose, began lowering manholes and water/sewer connections last week, and paving began Monday, April 12. The project will resurface the highway east of town between MP 201 and 215. (A previous ARRA-funded project a project resurfaced a 3.3-mile stretch of US 160 west of Del Norte, from mile post 197.7 to MP 201.) Additional work consists of shoulder milling/paving and curb and sidewalk through the town of Del Norte, which will include ADA ramps (Americans with Disabilities Act).

“I’m glad that Recovery Act funding has helped provide needed resurfacing on this stretch of Highway 160 and sidewalk improvements and ADA upgrades in Del Norte,” Congressman John Salazar (CO-03) said. “I will continue to support projects like these; projects that improve our country’s infrastructure while putting Americans to work.”

TRAVEL IMPACTS: Work hours are Monday through Friday, 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Motorists can expect some single-lane, alternating traffic and possible travel delays of up to 15 minutes. All business accesses will be maintained, but may be temporarily altered. There will be no holiday work and no weekend work is anticipated. CDOT and APC Southern Construction greatly appreciate your patience and cooperation while driving through the work zone. Thank you for going Slow for the Cone Zone.

PROJECT QUESTIONS/COMMENTS? Call Judy Lopez with APC, at 719-849-0946. For information about other CDOT projects, log on to http://www.coloradodot.info/ or call 511 from anywhere in the state.

In all, Colorado will receive more than $400 million for transportation projects and $103 million for transit projects statewide. For more information about how Colorado is putting the recovery act to work, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery. For a list of CDOT’s Recovery Act projects and additional ARRA information, visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/arra.

Concrete Repairs Continue on C-470 this Weekend

DOUGLAS/JEFFERSON COUNTY— Concrete repairs on C-470 between I-25 and Santa Fe Drive will once again take place this weekend and next week. This weekend, crews will work from 8 p.m. on Friday, April 9th to 5 a.m. on Monday, April 12th, weather permitting. During this time, the following closures will be in place on C-470 and major delays are expected:
• Eastbound C-470 between Santa Fe Drive and University Boulevard: One lane of eastbound C-470 will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
• Westbound C-470 between Quebec Street and Colorado Boulevard: One lane of westbound C-470 will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
• Westbound C-470 to Santa Fe Drive: The ramp from westbound C-470 to Santa Fe Drive will be completely closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday. Detour: Motorists can take South Platte Canyon Road to Mineral Avenue where access to Santa Fe Drive to available.
• Eastbound C-470 to University Boulevard: The ramp from eastbound C-470 to University Boulevard will be completely closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday. Detour: Motorists can take Quebec Street to County Line Road where access to University Boulevard is available.
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at University Boulevard: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 will be closed from 8 p.m. Sunday until 5:30 a.m. on Monday.

In addition to the weekend work, the following lane closures will be in place during the week of Monday, April 12th, weather permitting:
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at University Boulevard: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at University Boulevard will be closed on Monday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at Broadway: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at Broadway will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
• Eastbound and Westbound C-470 at Santa Fe Drive: The left lane of eastbound and westbound C-470 at Santa Fe Drive will be closed on Thursday from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
•
CDOT would like to remind motorists to obey all traffic signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.” Most fines will be doubled if the infraction occurs in the work zone.

Concrete repairs on the C-470 bike trail will resume this week at Quincy and move east. It will take approximately 11 weeks to complete the work from Quincy Avenue to Quebec Street. During the work, some minor closures or detours may be required. For safety reason, bicyclists will need to dismount from their bicycles to get around the work zone.

This work is part of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project. The $32 million project will repair concrete along nine miles of C-470 and then pave the entire length in asphalt. Concrete repairs will also be made along 26 miles of the C-470 bike path between I-25 and I-70.

Castle Rock Construction Co. of Centennial is the contractor for this project, which is scheduled to be complete by the end of September 2010.

In all, Colorado will receive more than $400 million from the Recovery Act for highway projects and $103 million for transit projects. For more information about how Colorado is putting the recovery act to work, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery. For a list of CDOT’s Recovery Act projects, visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/arra.

The project will widen U.S. 36 between Denver and Boulder, rebuild the Wadsworth interchange, add carpool and toll lanes and bus stops and build a bike trail near the highway. The massive price tag means it will have to be built in phases.

Federal officials will be in the Denver area this week to review plans for the highway corridor and discuss ways of “leveraging” the $10 million federal stimulus grant the project received in February, Broomfield transportation manager Debra Baskett said.

The meeting is a follow-up on CDOT`s request for $300 million from the federal government`s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant program.

Go to the Broomfield Enterprise to read the entire story.

This week, the Colorado Department of Transportation is relocating utilities and clearing material from the sides of U.S. Highway 160 from mileposts 92.9 to 94.8, just east of the Florida River, so crews with Four Corners Materials of Cortez can move the county roads 222/223 intersection one mile to the east.

Go to the Durango Herald to see the entire article.

RTD Route 31X bus leaves Market Street Station via 16th Street. RTD is planning to switch to smart card fare collection on bus and light rail services. Inside Lane photo.

By Kevin Flynn
Inside-Lane.com

RTD is moving closer to collecting bus and light rail fares through pre-paid smart cards with a $15.35 million contract to ACS Transport Solutions Inc. to provide the cards, readers, base data processing equipment and wireless communications.

The cards will be used by monthly pass holders as well as those who use the annual Eco Pass, and will provide RTD with the capability to market various niche fares, such as daily or weekly passes.

On the back end, the smart cards will give RTD the kind of tracking data is has long wanted to be able to properly price its fare programs, especially the annual Eco Pass, in which employers participate to provide annual transit passes to their work force. The data collection system will allow RTD to determine how and where holders use the passes. Currently, when pass holders board a bus, the driver pushes a button on the fare box to register what type of pass it is, but there is no ability to record who the user is.

On light rail, the new system ACS will provide comes with fare validators that will require the riders to tap their cards and deduct their fares. The wireless component of the system will transmit that information to central data processors. Fare inspectors will use new hand-held devices capable of reading riders’ cards to check whether they tapped the validators before boarding.

Numerous transit agencies use smart-card technology for fare collections. ACS recently installed its system in the Houston METRO transit district.

RTD believes that by using these cards rather than monthly or other passes, it eventually will be able to improve the bus boarding process, minimize the dwell time of buses at each stop and decrease the need to handle cash.

ACS’s proposal was slightly higher than the other bidder, Scheidt & Bachmann. But price was not the heaviest-weighted factor, at just 20 percent. RTD made the technical specifications worth 30 percent of the scoring. The qualifications and experience of the bidder were worth a combined 20 percent, project management plan was worth another 20 percent, and the resumes and experience of the actual key personnel the bidder would put on the Denver contract were worth 10 percent.

RTD has allocated $17.1 million in federal stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act toward this contact and another project to replace all the bus fare boxes in its fleet. The fare box replacement is estimated to cost $10.5 million, or up to $13.3 million if RTD includes several optional items in the procurement.

ACS Transport Solutions is a Columbia, Md., subsidiary of Affiliated Computer Services, a Xerox owned company.

According to an RTD staff memo, the ACS contract includes:
• The acquisition and installation of “on-board smart media processors” – smart card readers – for all of the approximately 1,100 buses in RTD’s fixed route fleet, both RTD and contractor operated;
• All mobile communications needed for the smart card readers to communicate and transmit data between the buses and the central data processing function, including communications/data processing equipment, for installation in all bus garages both RTD and contractor operated;
• The acquisition and installation of smart media validators – smart card readers – at light rail platforms;
• All communications needed for the light rail validators to transmit data between light rail stations and the central data processing function;
• Hand-held smart media validators for light rail fare inspectors to use to monitor riders’ proper utilization of the prepaid smart fare media on light rail vehicles;
• The development and implementation of all back-office data reporting, accumulation, storage and analysis tools;
• Initial program rollout including initial program development – privacy policy, community outreach and customer education programs, etc. – program administration and distribution of approximately 200,000 smart cards and decals to participants in RTD’s Eco Pass, Neighborhood Eco Pass and College Pass programs, included in the first year of this project;
• Call center operations, customer service and education, and ongoing administrative services for the smart card program for the first several years of operation;
• All training and software support;
• Options for the acquisition of additional equipment as RTD services expand, for example, additional light rail validators for the FasTracks West Corridor now under construction and other FasTracks corridors as they are opened.

Denver's design shows the new bridge, in green, with a traditional diamond-type interchange on I-70 and a set of braided ramps, in purple, on the west side connecting to I-270.

By Kevin Flynn
Inside-Lane.com

Where jetliners used to cross Interstate 70, Denver soon will be building a new $50.6 million interchange project that will reunite the south side of the old Stapleton airfield with the north side.

But this time, it’s not 747s or DC-10s that will go over top of I-70 traffic, but Stapleton neighborhood residents, regional shoppers and other highway travelers.

The new interchange will carry the Stapleton neighborhood’s Central Park Boulevard over I-70 to Northfield Boulevard in the growing commercial area where Stapleton’s two old north-south runways used to be.

The project is being done by SEMA Construction and Wilson and Company under a design-build contract with Denver. In January, SEMA was given the Notice to Proceed, and the design phase is at 40 percent completion, according to Steven Coggins, Denver’s project manager. Construction is expected to start in June with completion anticipated by October 2011.

A TWA jet is on take-off from Stapleton's old Runway 35 crossing I-70. Several years later, a second north-south runway was added north of I-70 and a second tunnel-bridge was built next to this one for the access taxiway. Photo at Matt Salek's Milepost 61 blog.

The project is using a mix of funding sources including the city’s Better Denver bond program, which is providing up to $30 million.

It is also using $12 million in federal stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act competitive grants program, channeled through the Denver Regional Council of Governments; and $8 million in other federal transportation funding.

And this week, the Colorado Transportation Commission is expected to approve an application for $1 million in earmarked Interstate Maintenance funds from the Federal Highway Administration to add the replacement of 800 feet of dilapidated concrete on the ramp from westbound I-70 to Interstate 270 to the project. The new ramps tied into this segment but initially it was going to be left as-is.

The Colorado Department of Transportation, which controls I-70, is providing oversight.

Rendering from Denver's interchange study shows the conceptual layout of the wide bridge planned for Central Park Boulevard over I-70. Ramps from and to I-270 straddle I-70 under the bridge.

The “spaghetti” of ramps will allow drivers direct access into both sides of Stapleton via a new Central Park Boulevard bridge, which will cross I-70 just to the east of the existing airport cargo bridge. That is the only bridge over the highway left from Stapleton’s airport days, but it was not adequate for re-use. Central Park Boulevard’s bridge will be between the cargo bridge and the spot where old Runway 17R-35L used to cross over on a long bridge that formed a tunnel carrying I-70. Just to the east of that spot, there used to be a second I-70 tunnel over which a taxiway to Runway 17L-35R was located.

While development of the Stapleton neighborhood has pretty much erased traces of the old runways south of I-70, there are still vestiges of them remaining on the north side.

The Stapleton developer, Forest City Enterprises, will spend an additional amount up to $20 million to construct the extension of Central Park Boulevard from 36th Avenue to Northfield Boulevard.

The design includes two “braided” style ramps, which allow traffic to and from I-270 to cross over entrance and exit ramps from I-70 to Central Park Boulevard. Braided ramps lift one flow of traffic over another to let them change sides without conflict.

While more expensive to build, braided ramps are much safer than old-style “weave lanes” in which traffic trying to merge left onto a freeway had to compete with traffic merging right to get off. Recently constructed examples are at southbound Interstate 25 and Speer Boulevard, and northbound I-25 at Belleview Avenue/Interstate 225.

Old CDOT photo shows then-new I-70 tunnel going under Stapleton Airport's Runway 17-35. Later, a second tunnel was built for the highway, closer to front of photo, for a taxiway to a new runway on the north airfield.

The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor Heyl Construction have begun construction on the SH 340 Intersection Improvement Project in Fruita.

FRUITA – The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor Heyl Construction have begun construction on the SH 340 Intersection Improvement Project in Fruita. The project, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was contracted to Heyl-a Western Slope contractor from Newcastle-for $1.36 million.

“This funding represents the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at work here on the Western Slope,” U.S. Senator Mark Udall said. “Especially with the growth in the area, these improvements to one of Fruita’s busiest intersections are badly needed, and the Grand Valley Transportation Planning Region has done a great job of getting these projects ready. This project will help address the transportation needs of Fruita travelers, while putting Western Slope workers back on the job.”

The project area includes SH 340 north of I-70 at Aspen and Cherry streets, as well as south of I-70 to Redcliff Drive. The project has a completion date set for May 21, 2010.

“I am pleased that ARRA funds are being utilized for much needed safety and capacity improvements to the intersection of SH 340 and Aspen/Cherry streets in Fruita,” Representative John Salazar (CO-3) said. “Not only will this project bring important jobs to this Western Slope community but it will certainly assist in the mitigation of congestion to this growing community. The partnering of the Grand Valley Transportation Planning Region to make this project viable, along with the use of federal funds, certainly displays how properly applied planning and funding can effectively be targeted to meet local needs.”

North of the interstate, the work will involve the installation of a traffic signal at SH 340 and Cherry/Aspen streets, resurfacing, drainage improvements and pedestrian crossing. On the south side (south of the roundabouts), work includes the installation of new curb and gutter, roadway resurfacing and shoulder work.

“As communities across the Western Slope continue to grow and develop, these projects ensure congestion and traffic don’t grow with them,” U.S. Senator Michael Bennet said. “The Grand Valley Transportation Planning Region and its partners have done a great job in identifying projects that make the most of Recovery funding, strengthening our infrastructure in a in a way that saves and creates jobs.”

During the project, work hours are Monday through Friday, from 7:30 AM to 5 PM. Motorists will encounter some single-lane alternating traffic at times, some lane reductions and minor delays. All business accesses will remain open but may be altered temporarily. Thank you for going Slow for the Cone Zone!

In all, Colorado will receive more than $400 million for transportation projects and $103 million for transit projects. For more information about how Colorado is putting the recovery act to work, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery. For a list of CDOT’s Recovery Act projects and additional ARRA information, visit www.dot.state.co.us/arra.

PROJECT QUESTIONS/COMMENTS? Call ACC’s project information hotline at (970) 309-5914. For information about other CDOT projects, log on to www.cotrip.org or call 511 from anywhere in the state.

Concrete repairs on C-470 between I-25 and Santa Fe Drive will once again take place this weekend, weather permitting

DOUGLAS/JEFFERSON COUNTY- Concrete repairs on C-470 between I-25 and Santa Fe Drive will once again take place this weekend, weather permitting. This weekend, crews will work from 8 p.m. on Friday, March 12th to 5 a.m. on Monday, March 15th, weather permitting. During this time, the following closures will be in place on C-470 and major delays are expected:
• Eastbound C-470 between University Boulevard and Yosemite: One lane of eastbound C-470 will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
• Eastbound C-470 to Quebec Street: The ramp from eastbound C-470 to Quebec Street will be completely closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Detour: Motorists can take Yosemite Street to Park Meadows Drive or University Boulevard to County Line Road.
• Quebec Street to Eastbound C-470: The ramp from Quebec Street to eastbound C-470 will be completely closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Detour: Motorists can take County Line Road to either Yosemite Street or I-25.

Since the concrete repairs require crews to place new concrete, there is about a 10 to 12-hour timeframe in which the concrete has to cure. During this time, one lane of eastbound C-470 will remain closed as well as the on and off-ramps at Quebec Street, but crews will not be visibly working. This is a necessary process for concrete replacement to ensure the pavement is of high quality and can withstand the heavy traffic C-470 handles. Once the concrete cures, crews will stripe and conduct some other minor work before completely reopening all lanes and ramps of eastbound C-470.

CDOT would like to remind motorists to obey all traffic signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone Zone .” Most fines will be doubled if the infraction occurs in the work zone.

This work is part of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project. The $32 million project will repair nine miles of C-470 and then pave the entire length in asphalt. Concrete repairs will also be made along 26 miles of the C-470 bike path between I-25 and I-70.

Castle Rock Construction Co. of Centennial is the contractor for this project, which is scheduled to be complete by the end of September 2010.

In all, Colorado will receive more than $400 million from the Recovery Act for highway projects and $103 million for transit projects. For more information about how Colorado is putting the recovery act to work, visit www.colorado.gov/recovery. For a list of CDOT’s Recovery Act projects, visit www.dot.state.co.us/arra.