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DENVER -- As the Central 70 project ramps up, more road closures and detours are set for the area around the Denver Coliseum.
Brighton Boulevard will be reduced to one lane in each direction starting on Wednesday. That change will last for the next six months as construction crews get ready to start removing the viaduct in the area and creating new underground lanes.
The initial plan was to make the change last Sunday, but the move was delayed by the recent storms.
“We’re going to do it down to one lane in both directions just to be prepared for that rebuilding of the interchange,” said Stacia Sellers, the Central 70 communications manager.
The outer lanes of Brighton Boulevard will be closed as that construction happens.
However, despite all the change happening in the area, Denver Fire Station 9 will stay put. Fire Captain Greg Pixley says the station is constantly making adjustments as construction and detours happen around it.
Pixley says the construction will not affect response times since Denver Fire has a redundant approach, meaning whoever can get to the scene fastest goes, no matter the distance. That means if Station 9 gets stuck in traffic with the construction, other units will already be heading toward the scene.
The station is not part of the redevelopment and will not move, as it cost too much money and takes too much time for something like that to happen, Pixley says.
The Brighton Boulevard lane change is just one of several Central 70 projects ramping up this week. Here is a look at a few of the others:
- 46th Avenue between Brighton Boulevard and York Street is permanently closed to allow for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge. Use I-70 to navigate east and west in this area.
- Local Road, north of 46th Avenue and between High and Gaylord streets is permanently closed for roadway construction, CDOT property demolitions, and utility work. Residents will have access to properties from 47th Avenue.
- York Street on-ramp to westbound I-70 is permanently closed as a part of the final design of I-70 and to construct the new Union Pacific Railroad Bridge.
- Southbound Vasquez Boulevard from Steele Street to 46th Avenue is permanently closed. Traffic will travel south on Steele Street and turn right on 46th Avenue.