Heavy rains that dampened some Independence Day festivities also produced flooding that closed an Interstate 25 off-ramp in the T-REX construction zone for about 12 hours.
Contractors have yet to build a flood-control detention pond in the northeast quadrant of the South University Boulevard/I-25 interchange, and rainwater overflowed the off-ramp from northbound I-25 to University late Tuesday, said Joy Wasendorf, spokeswoman for the T-REX construction team.
The ramp was reopened about 11 a.m. Wednesday, she said.
Before T-REX construction began, parts of I-25 through south-central Denver were often flooded by heavy rains.
The only reported case of high water after the recent storm was at the off-ramp to University, Wasendorf said.
“We had no flooding at Logan and Evans, our historic hot spots,” she said.
Detention ponds in other quadrants of the University/ I-25 interchange – and at I-25 and South Colorado Boulevard – worked as designed, she said.
The $800 million highway portion of T-REX, which stands for Transportation Expansion Project, is due for completion Sept. 1.
By that time, nearly all storm drainage work will be completed throughout T-REX and it should prevent flooding in the corridor, Wasendorf said.
In all, T-REX will cost $1.67 billion. In addition to highway improvements, the project has constructed a 19-mile light-rail line with a price tag of a little more than $800 million.
Staff writer Jeffrey Leib can be reached at 303-820-1645 or jleib@denverpost.com.
