Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect for Gilpin County. Learn more.

 
1

Highway Closures and Impacts

The I-70 Floyd Hill Project will improve eight miles of the I-70 mountain corridor, from west of Evergreen to eastern Idaho Springs. The Project will deliver a third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane bottleneck. Other major elements include constructing a missing two-mile section of the frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho Springs, building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for slow-moving vehicles, improving traffic flow and access at interchanges and intersections within the project limits, improving sight distance on roadway curves, improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail, and implementing environmental mitigation to create safer wildlife movements and improve air and water quality, stream conditions and recreation.

Construction began in July 2023 and is expected to conclude in late 2028.

Rock scaling and blasting begins on I-70 Floyd Hill Project 

Operations will continue through 2026

The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor partner, Kraemer North America, will begin rock scaling operations in early October 2024 near Idaho Springs as part of the I-70 Floyd Hill Project. Rock scaling, which is the process of removing loose and unstable material from a rock blasting area, will take place ahead of rock blasting activities, which are scheduled to begin this fall. Rock blasting and scaling operations will take place in the West and Central Sections of the Project, which spans from east of US 6 (Exit 244) to Idaho Springs/Colorado Boulevard (Exit 241). These operations are required to rebuild and replace bridges over Clear Creek and straighten I-70 curves to improve safety and sight distance.

Rock scaling traffic impacts

Starting in early October, crews will begin rock scaling in the West Section. Rock scaling is estimated to last approximately two months.

  • Traffic holds will take place Monday through Thursday, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. during off-peak travel times. 
  • Traffic will be held up to 20 minutes during each traffic hold; motorists can expect 45-minute delays as the traffic queue clears.
  • Motorists can expect up to six traffic holds per day, approximately every 60 to 75 minutes. 
  • For rock scaling operations, westbound I-70 traffic will be held east of the Hidden Valley interchange (Exit 243). Eastbound I-70 traffic will be held west of the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. 
  • County Road 314 and Central City Parkway will remain open during scaling operations.

Rock blasting traffic impacts

Following rock scaling operations, crews will begin rock blasting in both the Central and West Sections. Motorists can expect traffic holds for these activities through 2026. 

  • Rock blasting will occur once per day and up to three times per week, Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to noon. 
  • Similar to rock scaling, traffic will be held up to 20 minutes, but could result in 45-minute delays as the traffic queue clears.
  • During rock blasting operations, westbound I-70 traffic will be held as far east as Homestead Road (Exit 247). Eastbound I-70 traffic will be held west of the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. Traffic will also be held on Central City Parkway, County Road 314 and at the US 6 on-ramp to westbound I-70 during rock blasting.

Motorists must stay the course on I-70 during these traffic holds. There is no detour route so plan for extra time to get to your destination. For the most current information on this work, please sign up for Project text alerts by texting ‘floydhill’ to 21000.

The Project recommends that travelers plan trips around the scaling and blasting schedules to avoid delays. For more information on rock scaling and blasting, view our FAQs.

Project Contact Information

For additional information about this Project:

Road Conditions: COtrip.org 
COtrip Planner App: bit.ly/COtripapp
Project Travel Alerts: bit.ly/COnewsalerts
Lane Closures: bit.ly/laneclosures

Starting August 19, 2024

Gilpin County School District Capital Construction Project

Gilpin County School District will construct a sewer pipe from the school, 10595 Colorado Highway 119, to the Black Hawk Central City Sanitation District. The connection point is at the Black Hawk Fire Station, 7457 Black Hawk Blvd, Colorado Highway 119.

Colorado Highway 119 will be excavated in the northbound lane to construct the sewer pipe. Phase I construction will begin in the northbound lane of Colorado Highway 119 at the Black Hawk Fire Station and proceed north to Hughesville Road and Apex Valley Road. The approximate timeline for Phase I of construction will be from Mid August 2024 through November 2024. Colorado Highway 119 will be reopened to two way traffic by December 2024.

One lane traffic will occur during construction, from mid August 2024 through November 2024.

  • Expect delays of approximately 5 minutes.
  • One lane traffic will occur for approximately 3000 feet.
  • Automatic “red/green” traffic light controllers will be in use 24 hours a day/7 days a week from mid July 2024
    through November 2024.

For additional information, contact ESCO Construction Project Manager Kyle Griffin, kgriffin@escomailbox.com. Check the Gilpin School District website for up-to-date information on this project.

The on-site wastewater treatment plant groundwater discharge has been non-compliant for more than a decade. After a feasibility study, the Board of Education determined the best use of taxpayer revenue was to construct a sewer pipe and connect the school facility with the Black Hawk Central City Sanitation District.

US Hwy 6 closure in Clear Creek Canyon from 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. on numerous Mondays in 2024. Be prepared for full night closures 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. between Hwy 119 and Hwy 93/58, including all of Clear Creek Canyon Park trailheads/parking lots. Vehicles parked in the canyon after 7:00 p.m. will be required to exit on US 6 west toward Highway 119 or east toward Highway 93/58, depending on heavy equipment. Traffic Control will sweep the canyon at 7:00 p.m. Be prepared and please plan accordingly.  

You can use these resources from Jefferson County to stay informed on the project and planned closures:

     Website: www.jeffco.us/P2P

     Email: peaks2plains@gmail.com

     Phone: (720) 893-0403

Sign up for Jeffco "Notifyme" alerts:

  • Go to www.jeffco.us/list.aspx.
  • Add your email address to the top and click sign in.
  • You can opt to receive emails and / or text messages.
  • Scroll down to the third section titled "Alerts" and find P2P/US Hwy 6 - Trail Construction Closures.

You are also encouraged to check COtrip.org for real-time lane closures and traffic impacts associated with area projects.