Local
New northbound I-25 lanes between Mead and Berthoud could open by January
CDOT plans to begin striping expanded northbound lanes this week, with traffic expected to shift onto them in December or January. Construction-zone cameras and other work will remain after the shift.
Drivers on Interstate 25 between Mead and Berthoud may move onto newly built northbound lanes as soon as December, though the Colorado Department of Transportation says the traffic shift could come in January instead.
Crews are scheduled to begin painting lane markings this week, a step toward opening the expanded lanes. The project has brought repeated traffic shifts and delays to a heavily traveled route connecting Northern Colorado communities with the Denver metro area.
During construction, crews moved southbound traffic to the north side of the interstate to make room for wider shoulders and express lanes, then shifted traffic again as work continued. The changes have made trips difficult to plan, particularly during rush hour.
“I feel like there’s always construction,” said Trenton Stickney, who regularly drives the corridor. He said the delays have led him to avoid I-25 when he can and take other highways instead.
Douglas Kennell said traffic north of Denver surprised him during a recent drive to Cheyenne. Both drivers welcomed the prospect of new lanes, though the opening is not the end of construction.
CDOT says speed-enforcement cameras in the work zone will remain until construction crews have left the project. Work, including installation of toll cameras, is also expected to continue after the northbound traffic shift until the remaining project work is complete.