Local
I-270 rebuild will add lanes, replace 12 bridges on Commerce City corridor
A seven-year reconstruction of the six-mile I-270 stretch between I-25 and I-70 is set to begin in late October. The project will add lanes, replace aging bridges and rebuild the Vasquez Boulevard interchange, with work expected to continue through 2033.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A long-awaited reconstruction of Interstate 270 is moving into construction, with a groundbreaking ceremony planned for Monday and initial work scheduled to begin later this month.
The Colorado Department of Transportation’s seven-year project covers six miles between Interstate 25 and Interstate 70 in Adams County. The corridor, built between 1965 and 1970, carries more than 100,000 vehicles a day and is Colorado’s only interstate that has not received a major upgrade, according to CDOT.
Plans call for adding two general-purpose lanes and one express lane in each direction, replacing 12 aging bridges and rebuilding the Vasquez Boulevard interchange. Crews will also build a pedestrian overpass and improve the ramps at Interstate 76.
CDOT and contractor Kiewit Corporation expect to start with earthwork along the north side of westbound I-270. Major bridge construction is slated to begin in spring 2027. Some early work will take place at night to limit disruption for commuters and freight traffic.
“This corridor really does need attention,” CDOT spokesperson Stacia Sellers said, pointing to the roadway’s age, deteriorating bridges, potholes and need for emergency repairs. She said the highway serves both industrial businesses that depend on freight and people traveling into Denver and to Aurora medical campuses.
The work is divided into three phases. The first, from about Vasquez Boulevard to the South Platte River, is expected to wrap up in 2030. The second will cover sections between I-70 and Vasquez Boulevard and between the river and I-25. The third will run from Quebec Street to Vasquez Boulevard. CDOT expects the latter phases to finish in 2033.
The project follows six years of community engagement and coordination among CDOT, the Federal Highway Administration, Adams and Denver counties, and local communities. CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said the environmental review was expanded to a full Environmental Impact Statement in 2023 to provide a deeper look at the corridor and nearby neighborhoods.
Adams County Commissioner Julie Duran Mullica, chair of the county Board of Commissioners, said local residents and businesses have called for improvements while emphasizing that the work must address community needs. The project will affect a route used by workers, regional travelers and the freight industry, making construction impacts a significant concern as the multi-year work gets underway.