Floyd Hill work will mean delays, some closures of I-70 with a vision for a safer ride by 2028

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As you make your way down Floyd Hill on westbound Interstate 70, there is a tree you should take a look at.

e tree marks the location of the future highway to be completed in 2028.

It’s here, at this tree, where westbound I-70 will launch 60 feet above the mountains on a twisting path leading back to the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. Supported by steel and concrete caissons, this elevated section of road is designed to address several existing problems with what experts say has been a hazardous design for decades. e planned forgiving and wider turns will improve sight and stopping distance.

Kurt Kionka with the Colorado Department of Transportation says the current curves are rated for 45 mph. Many drivers, said Kionka, CDOT Floyd Hill Project director, “clearly exceed that safety limit.”

Kionka and Austin Knapp, the construction manager and general contractor with Kraemer North America, will lead this historic project.

It represents the next ve years of interstate construction in Clear Creek County. Eastbound work is already underway. Expect concrete barriers to be in place soon on the south side to protect tra c and workers as they carve 40 feet from the mountain to allow for additional lanes.

Approximately $700 million in state and federal dollars will be spent. is includes the largest single grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to Colorado: $100 million.

It is a massive engineering and construction project that will be split into three phases. Work has started on the east section of the project, a four-mile stretch that spans from County Road 65 to the bottom of Floyd Hill.

Over the summer, crews will focus on building the work zone, excavation, wall construction, drainage work, and rock scaling and blasting to create room for roadway improvements.

During rock scaling and blasting, motorists should expect daytime tra c holds in both directions of I-70 starting in late-July or early August on some days of the week. Crews will perform rock blasting and scaling for 20 minutes and then reopen the roadway. In all, motorists can anticipate up to 45 minutes of delays. e I-70 Floyd Hill Project will:

Blasting is anticipated to occur two times per week through early 2024. Motorists can stay in the know on when blasting activities are planned by signing up for text alerts by texting oydhill to 21000.

Several crude wooden markers are already in place. is simple stick along the walking and biking trail adjacent to Clear Creek on the south side will be replaced in the near future. It marks the spot where westbound I-70 will eventually cross over the creek and rejoin existing I-70 west. Today, it’s a stick. In 2028 it will be an elevated overpass on one of the most critical interstates in the United States.

Also note, the walking and biking path will be replaced as part of the overall project. e old pavement will be removed and new concrete laid in its place. e grade of the path will also be brought to Americans with Disabilities requirements, according to Kionka.

According to CDOT, the ultimate goal of the project is multilateral and multifold.

• Add a third westbound I-70 travel lane in this two-lane bottleneck. is new lane will be a full-time, tolled express lane from just west of Homestead Road (Exit 247) through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels to Colorado Blvd./Idaho Springs (Exit 241);

• Rebuild bridges damaged due to use, wear and tear, and heavy usage;

• Construct a missing two-mile section of the frontage road between U.S. 6 and the Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway interchanges, which will improve emergency response;

• Build an extended on-ramp from U.S. 6 onto eastbound I-70 for slowmoving vehicles to have more room to merge;

• Improve tra c ow and access at interchanges and intersections;

• Improve sight distance and safety by straightening roadway curves;

• Improve the Clear Creek Greenway trail; and dler pairs and one decoy. Six dogs — including Ragnar and Rico — are dual-purpose for narcotics detection and patrol. e seventh is a bombsni ng dog for the courthouse, he said. e K-9 unit responds to an incredibly large call volume, including helping local agencies that don’t have their own K-9 units.

• Implement environmental mitigation to enhance wildlife connectivity, air and water quality, stream conditions and recreation.

Check the Canyon Courier for the latest news on this project.

“We stay busy,” Valbert continued. “ … (Being fully sta ed) keeps us at 24-7 coverage.”

Valbert, Oliver and Wagner all emphasized how this wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous community support JCSO received after Gra t’s death.

Companies and individuals from Je co and beyond donated money, dog treats, and more in Gra t’s honor. e monetary donations enabled the o ce to buy the two new K-9s — each of which was $20,000 including training and travel — along with ballistic vests and other crucial equipment.

Oliver thanked everyone for their support and donations, saying, “I felt like I wasn’t alone, that the community cared about (Gra t) too.”

While Oliver stressed that no one could replace Gra t, he said it was great to have a K-9 partner once more. He and his family members feel better now that he has someone going to work with him again.

Ragnar, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, is adjusting to home life well.

He has “a good on-o switch,” Oliver described, saying he’s always excited to go to work.

Oliver was among the JCSO personnel who went to California to scope out new K-9s. ey were looking for dogs that were at least a year old and that would be good ts for the sheri ’s o ce and their respective handlers.

Oliver liked how methodical Ragnar was, saying, “He’s focused, calm and clear-headed.”

For Rico and Wagner, the last six weeks of training have been a fun, new journey together.

“He’s a puppy still,” Wagner said of the 14-month-old Belgian Malinois. “He’s always wanting to play and work.”

To help Rico di erentiate between home and work, Wagner said he has separate collars. So, when Rico gets his work collar on and jumps in the patrol vehicle, Wagner said he knows he’s going to work.

Rico’s been solid in training, Wagner said, describing how he’s been especially quick on the narcotics detection side thus far. e pair should be fully trained by late September, he anticipated.

“He’s willing and quick to learn,” Wagner said of his new K-9 partner.

For K-9 Gra t

In the early hours on Feb. 13, Oliver and Gra t responded to a call near the Colorado School of Mines campus in Golden.

A suspected drunken driver had evaded police, reportedly pointing a gun at a Golden Police o cer during the incident, and was last seen running toward the Mines campus.

According to court documents, Oliver and Gra t tracked the suspect to a wooded area, with Oliver releasing Gra t with commands to apprehend. e suspect, later identied as 29-year-old Eduardo Romero, then reportedly shot Gra t, killing him.

Gra t, a 10-year-old German shepherd, had been with the Je co Sheri ’s O ce since 2015. He was honored with a procession from the site, temporary memorial sites at JCSO headquarters and the Mines campus, and a Feb. 27 memorial service.

Romero was later arrested without incident and charged with several counts, including aggravated cruelty to animals, class-6 felony. is is the lowest-level felony, and carries a sentence of up 18 months in jail and a ne of up to $100,000.

Romero’s scheduled to enter a plea at 1 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Je erson County Courthouse.

In the wake of Gra t’s death, Oliver and JCSO partnered with state lawmakers to increase the penal- ties and nes in aggravated animal cruelty cases.

House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, sponsored House Bill 1286, which was signed June 2.

According to the nal language, anyone convicted of aggravated animal cruelty toward service animals, police dogs or police horses must pay a mandatory minimum ne of $2,000 and complete an anger management treatment program. ey must also make restitution to the owner or agency, including veterinary expenses and/or replacement costs.

In April, Armagost told Colorado Politics how many states have enacted harsher penalties for killing a K-9. Armagost also detailed how replacing a K-9 isn’t about just the dog itself, but the breadth and intensity of training the dog has completed. Oliver described how he testi ed in favor of House Bill 1286, saying he wanted to see harsher penalties for anyone who hurts or kills a service animal or working police animal.

He again thanked community members for all their support, saying he and Wagner are excited to serve Je erson County with their new K-9 partners.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us,” Oliver continued.