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Driving You Crazy: Hey kids, stay off that I-70 central construction equipment during summer break

Posted at 4:45 AM, May 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-14 06:45:46-04

I was reading the latest newsletter for the Central I-70 project and saw this this little blurb, “Stay away from construction equipment, even if it's not running! School is almost out for the summer, but our Project construction team will still be hard at work! Never go near construction equipment, even if it isn't in use.”

That is obviously good advice, but I wondered if there is a bigger issue here with kids trying to play on or around the equipment. Stacia Sellers with the I-70 central project told me they want to keep the kids safe especially since there are many construction vehicles moving around and the kids may come across either tools or large equipment in or out of use.

“Since we are working within a community and next to an elementary school, we decided to use a section of our e-blast as a friendly reminder to stay away from the work zone, especially since summer is coming up and kids will be out of school,” Sellers said.

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The project team has put up barriers around some of the areas but can’t fence off everything. “We have parade rail, temporary fence, and signage around our work zone near the school and in the community to prevent kids from going through the work zone. As we ramp up excavation work, we want to make sure that folks take extra caution,” Sellers said.

Some of the construction still going on in May just before Denver Public Schools lets out includes rebuilding the Brighton Boulevard and I-70 interchange, drilling supports for the future lowered section of I-70 between York Street and Colorado Boulevard, rebuilding the Colorado Boulevard and I-70 interchange, continued construction of the new I-270 flyover and continued work at the Peoria Street and I-70 interchange.

The central 70 project started in earnest in early September, 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in phases with substantial completion by 2022.

Denver7 traffic anchor Jayson Luber says he has been covering Denver-metro traffic since Ben-Hur was driving a chariot. (We believe the actual number is over 20 years.) He's obsessed with letting viewers know what's happening on their drive and the best way to avoid the problems that spring up. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or listen to his Driving You Crazy podcast on iTunes , Stitcher , Google Play or Podbean.