BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- It's been an area full of frustrated commuters for many years; Wadsworth Boulevard at the Boulder Turnpike.

The Colorado Department of Transportation broke ground Thursday on a new road and bridge project that will eventually ease traffic in the area.

"We're starting to untie the knot of traffic, if you will," said Dennis McCloskey, Broomfield council member.

It's a knot that has been wound tight by explosive growth in Broomfield. The project will be constructed in three phases. The first phases will include building the bridge over U.S. Highway 36 and Commerce Street, realigning several roads east of U.S. 36 and moving the current RTD park-n-ride to the Broomfield Events Center.

"All the traffic that comes out of Interlocken every day at the end of the day tries to divert and go over across US 36. This bridge will allow those folks to go directly down to 120th and bypass that intersection. That decreases that traffic significantly," McCloskey said.

The final phase of the project will complete the connection to 120th Avenue and build a tunnel under the current railroad tracks. That part of the project will cost $40 million, with most of the money going to right of way acquisition.

"That part of the project is still unfunded so we don't know yet when it will start," McCloskey said.

The $23 million project is being paid for with state and federal funds along with money from the city and county of Broomfield. It is scheduled to be finished by September 2010.