I-70 Construction and Closures through Denver

Those who drive I-70 through Denver should be aware of a major closure happening this weekend. Beginning at 5am tomorrow (Friday), I-70 will be completely closed between Washington Street and I-270 (see map [broken link removed 21 Jul 2021].) The closure is happening for what Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is calling the “Mile High Shift.” This will re-route traffic to a new, lowered section of the interstate between Brighton and Colorado Boulevards. The existing viaduct will eventually be demolished. Updates on closures can be found on CDOT’s website; at cotrip.org; and on the project’s Facebook page.

The Mile High Shift is part of a major, multi-year I-70 construction project through central and east Denver. The goal of the project is to reduce traffic congestion, improve drainage through the area, and provide more connections to neighborhoods and businesses in the area through the lowering of the interstate to ground level. To learn more, visit CDOT’s project website. Here you can find updates on construction progress, videos and diagrams, safety information, project history, environmental information, community resources, and more. Further detail can also be found in several project documents including a Financing Study (2015), the Final Environmental Impact Statement (2016), and Record of Decision (2017).