Drivers traveling through Colorado’s Interstate 70 mountain corridor will encounter a series of overnight closures this month as crews continue work on the large-scale Floyd Hill infrastructure improvement project.
The Colorado Department of Transportation announced that westbound I-70 between exits 241 and 244 will close overnight for bridge construction activities tied to the ongoing $900 million Floyd Hill project. The work is part of one of the state’s largest active transportation construction initiatives aimed at improving safety and easing congestion along the busy mountain corridor.
According to transportation officials, the closures are scheduled nightly from Sunday, May 10, through Thursday, May 14, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Weather delays could push the work to backup dates between May 18 and May 20.
The construction zone is located near Floyd Hill, an approximately eight-mile stretch of interstate between Evergreen and Idaho Springs that has long been known for traffic bottlenecks, steep grades and challenging driving conditions.
During the overnight shutdowns, westbound traffic will be rerouted off I-70 at Exit 244 onto U.S. Highway 6 before reconnecting with the interstate at Exit 241. Transportation officials said the detour is expected to add less than 10 minutes to travel times for most motorists.
The closures are necessary to support bridge construction operations that are part of the larger corridor redesign. The Floyd Hill project includes roadway reconfiguration, bridge work, additional travel lanes and safety improvements intended to increase traffic flow reliability along the interstate corridor west of Denver.
Construction activity has steadily intensified throughout the project area over the past year. Heavy equipment, crane operations and ongoing earthwork remain visible across the corridor as crews continue preparing the route for long-term improvements.
The Colorado Department of Transportation also warned drivers to expect intermittent traffic holds during daytime hours due to rock blasting and rock scaling operations. Those brief traffic stops are planned Mondays through Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and are expected to continue throughout the year.
The Floyd Hill project represents a significant investment in Colorado’s mountain transportation infrastructure, where traffic volumes have increased substantially due to population growth, tourism and freight movement across the region.
Transportation officials have said the project is designed to improve travel time reliability while reducing crashes along a corridor that experiences frequent congestion, especially during weekends and winter travel periods.
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Crews have already completed several early-stage construction activities, including excavation work, retaining wall installation and bridge foundation preparation. Upcoming phases will continue to focus on bridge construction and roadway widening.
Motorists traveling through the area are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and remain alert for changing traffic patterns and construction equipment.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is also encouraging travelers to sign up for project alerts by texting “floydhill” to 21000 to receive construction updates and closure notifications.
The Floyd Hill corridor improvements are expected to continue for several years as the state advances one of its most ambitious interstate modernization efforts in the mountain region.
Originally reported by Summit Daily.
