Colorado

[zzcarp]

I didn't see this and created a separate thread for this accident: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=34011.0

Apparently the initial report is that there was a broken rail that caused the derailment and the collapse.

[The Ghostbuster]

Has anyone heard about this project?: https://www.powder.com/region-colorado/cdot-looking-at-improvements-at-nasty-breck-frisco-interchange.

[JayhawkCO]

Hadn't heard about it, but it's definitely needed. The traffic there and at the US6 exit in Silverthorne can be nuts on weekends, especially during ski season.

[zzcarp]

It certainly could be helpful for sure. CDOT's made a lot of good improvements to Highway 9 but this connection could help.

Something left out of the pedestrian discussion seems to be when they are in the wrong. The article states:

About 15 years ago, my wife and I were driving through the intersection when a snowboarder was walking across the Lusher–DDR–Route 9 intersection south of the interchange. He was nailed by a vehicle switching lanes as it jockeyed for position to get in the correct lane for I-70.

Now if they were both driving through the intersection, one must presume the snowboarder was crossing against the light. It's trendy to blame the vehicles when nearly always it's the pedestrians who just assume cars will see them and stop for them.

[roadwaywiz95]

Our next installment in the "Virtual Tour" series is scheduled to take place on Sunday (12/10) at 3 PM ET. Come join me and members of the AARoads community as we profile Interstate 70 across western Colorado and the Denver metro area and discuss the history and features of this highway all while enjoying a real-time video trip along the length of one of America's most scenic stretches of the Interstate Highway System.

A link to the event location can be found below and we look forward to seeing you in attendance:

[zachary_amaryllis]

Our next installment in the "Virtual Tour" series is scheduled to take place on Sunday (12/10) at 3 PM ET. Come join me and members of the AARoads community as we profile Interstate 70 across western Colorado and the Denver metro area and discuss the history and features of this highway all while enjoying a real-time video trip along the length of one of America's most scenic stretches of the Interstate Highway System.

A link to the event location can be found below and we look forward to seeing you in attendance:

I didn't watch this live, but I did watch it. Really liked it, actually.

I have 4K video of all of I-70 (at different times) from Glenwood to Denver as well.

The question I would have asked, were I there live, would have been "Will I-70 and US 6 just get a ROOM already?"

[The Ghostbuster]

It appears Interstate 25 will not be expanded through central Denver due to lack of funding: https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/interstate-25-denver-cdot-brt-projects-cost/.

[Plutonic Panda]

I thought CDOT already announced this?

[zachary_amaryllis]

I thought CDOT already announced this?

I mean, where would they expand it TO? It feels really tight and constricted through there already.

[will_e_777]

this project is going close Broadway this weekend. the new bridge girders on the southbound I-25 on-ramp are being put up:
https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Transportation-and-Infrastructure/Programs-Services/Projects/South-Broadway-I-25

[roadwaywiz95]

For this upcoming weekend's Webinar presentation, we'll be taking a look at the freeway system of central Colorado and the Denver metropolitan area. Coverage will begin on Saturday (12/16) at 6 PM ET and will feature live contributions from members of this forum; we hope to see you there!

[zachary_amaryllis]

For this upcoming weekend's Webinar presentation, we'll be taking a look at the freeway system of central Colorado and the Denver metropolitan area. Coverage will begin on Saturday (12/16) at 6 PM ET and will feature live contributions from members of this forum; we hope to see you there!

I can't watch live due to a slow like (but I'll get it eventually) but..
someone PLEASE mention the big joke of the "express lanes".

[halork]

Recently saw this page for the new I-70/Picadilly Rd interchange project in Aurora:

https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/planning/projects__plans___studies/transportation_planning/i-70_picadilly_interchange

According to the map, the NB E470 to WB I-70 traffic is going to have to merge through the exiting WB I-70 to Picadilly traffic. Since they're removing the WB I-70 exit to WB Colfax as well, that's even more traffic that needs to exit at Picadilly. There's an awfully short distance to resolve all that traffic weaving, and it seems pretty dangerous.

[zzcarp]

Recently saw this page for the new I-70/Picadilly Rd interchange project in Aurora:

https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/planning/projects__plans___studies/transportation_planning/i-70_picadilly_interchange

According to the map, the NB E470 to WB I-70 traffic is going to have to merge through the exiting WB I-70 to Picadilly traffic. Since they're removing the WB I-70 exit to WB Colfax as well, that's even more traffic that needs to exit at Picadilly. There's an awfully short distance to resolve all that traffic weaving, and it seems pretty dangerous.

CDOT seems to enjoy causing dangerous weaving movements throughout metro Denver, especially along I-25 (which is one reason for its constant gridlock) but also on I-70 between the west C-470/US 6 (6th Avenue) interchanges.

That said, I drive from NB E470 to WB I-70 fairly frequently now that the new express lanes have opened west of I-225. Currently there is no direct access to Colfax/US40/287 from the NB flyover ramp as it merges into I-70. And, there is usually very little traffic heading WB from mainline I-70, so hopefully the weaving will be much less of an issue than the other areas in town.

[JayhawkCO]

Recently saw this page for the new I-70/Picadilly Rd interchange project in Aurora:

https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/planning/projects__plans___studies/transportation_planning/i-70_picadilly_interchange

According to the map, the NB E470 to WB I-70 traffic is going to have to merge through the exiting WB I-70 to Picadilly traffic. Since they're removing the WB I-70 exit to WB Colfax as well, that's even more traffic that needs to exit at Picadilly. There's an awfully short distance to resolve all that traffic weaving, and it seems pretty dangerous.

CDOT seems to enjoy causing dangerous weaving movements throughout metro Denver, especially along I-25 (which is one reason for its constant gridlock) but also on I-70 between the west C-470/US 6 (6th Avenue) interchanges.

That said, I drive from NB E470 to WB I-70 fairly frequently now that the new express lanes have opened west of I-225. Currently there is no direct access to Colfax/US40/287 from the NB flyover ramp as it merges into I-70. And, there is usually very little traffic heading WB from mainline I-70, so hopefully the weaving will be much less of an issue than the other areas in town.

Yeah, I agree with your last statement. The quickest way home if I'm driving from out east on I-70 is to take the Colfax exit. I never see anyone that's recently exited before me over there.

[Strider]

Recently saw this page for the new I-70/Picadilly Rd interchange project in Aurora:

https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/planning/projects__plans___studies/transportation_planning/i-70_picadilly_interchange

According to the map, the NB E470 to WB I-70 traffic is going to have to merge through the exiting WB I-70 to Picadilly traffic. Since they're removing the WB I-70 exit to WB Colfax as well, that's even more traffic that needs to exit at Picadilly. There's an awfully short distance to resolve all that traffic weaving, and it seems pretty dangerous.

CDOT seems to enjoy causing dangerous weaving movements throughout metro Denver, especially along I-25 (which is one reason for its constant gridlock) but also on I-70 between the west C-470/US 6 (6th Avenue) interchanges.

That said, I drive from NB E470 to WB I-70 fairly frequently now that the new express lanes have opened west of I-225. Currently there is no direct access to Colfax/US40/287 from the NB flyover ramp as it merges into I-70. And, there is usually very little traffic heading WB from mainline I-70, so hopefully the weaving will be much less of an issue than the other areas in town.

Yeah, I agree with your last statement. The quickest way home if I'm driving from out east on I-70 is to take the Colfax exit. I never see anyone that's recently exited before me over there.

Is there any plans to turn the E-470 and I-70 interchange into stack? I am wondering because the flyer from E-470 NB to I-70 W is there.

[tigerwings]

This would have useful when I lived in SE Aurora 2006-2016.

Took Gun Club to 70 west to work, and 70 east to Picadilly to 30 home.

[The Ghostbuster]

I highly doubt the Interstate 70/CO-E470 interchange will ever be modified, given the proximity to the Business 70 interchange, and that it probably wasn't intended to be a freeway-to-tollway system interchange. Further north, I also doubt any additional ramps will be added to the Interstate 76/CO-E470 interchange. Had CO 470 and E-470 been built as Interstate 470 (as was originally proposed), the interchanges with 70 and 76 would have likely been built as full stack system interchanges.

[Strider]

I highly doubt the Interstate 70/CO-E470 interchange will ever be modified, given the proximity to the Business 70 interchange, and that it probably wasn't intended to be a freeway-to-tollway system interchange. Further north, I also doubt any additional ramps will be added to the Interstate 76/CO-E470 interchange. Had CO 470 and E-470 been built as Interstate 470 (as was originally proposed), the interchanges with 70 and 76 would have likely been built as full stack system interchanges.

Are you sure?

I just did some research and apparently there ARE plans to eventually turn that interchange into freeway-to-freeway at some point in the future.

https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/planning/projects__plans___studies/transportation_planning/i-70_e-470_interchange_complex

[Plutonic Panda]

I highly doubt the Interstate 70/CO-E470 interchange will ever be modified, given the proximity to the Business 70 interchange, and that it probably wasn't intended to be a freeway-to-tollway system interchange. Further north, I also doubt any additional ramps will be added to the Interstate 76/CO-E470 interchange. Had CO 470 and E-470 been built as Interstate 470 (as was originally proposed), the interchanges with 70 and 76 would have likely been built as full stack system interchanges.

Are you sure?

I just did some research and apparently there ARE plans to eventually turn that interchange into freeway-to-freeway at some point in the future.

https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/planning/projects__plans___studies/transportation_planning/i-70_e-470_interchange_complex

That's good. I can't believe it hasn't been done yet. Admittedly I likely will never use it but just looking at it makes me shake my head it's never been upgraded yet. Hopefully it is soon.

[kphoger]

I likely will never use it but ...

hehe.  I might be going to Colorado later this year, and, if so, then I'd say there's a 50/50 chance I'll be using that interchange at least once.

[JayhawkCO]

I likely will never use it but ...

hehe.  I might be going to Colorado later this year, and, if so, then I'd say there's a 50/50 chance I'll be using that interchange at least once.

E-470 is expensive as hell, but my wife often has to take trips up north for her job, and coming back on E-470 vs. I-25/I-270/I-70/I-225 often saves up to 40 minutes.

I still end up taking it every once in a while myself, but I think I've only used the I-70/E-470 interchange maybe twice ever.

[Rothman]

40 minute savings?  That's almost unbelievable.

[JayhawkCO]

40 minute savings?  That's almost unbelievable.

I-25 into Denver city limits is almost always backed up 15-20 minutes during rush hour.

I-270 is almost always backed up 10-15 minutes at most times of the day.

I-70 from I-270 to I-225 is almost always backed up 5-10 minutes during rush hour.

Add them up, and there ya go. I'll try to remember today to look at GMaps and see what it looks like today.

[kphoger]

If I do end up going, then I'll be headed to Estes Park, approaching Denver on I-70 at maybe around 4pm.  Not sure which is better at that time of day:  slog through I-270 at a crawl, or go north on I-25 to Longmont.  Ditto for the return trip, leaving first thing in the morning.