At 8 p.m. today, state transportation officials reduced northbound Interstate 25 traffic to one lane in the area of the sinkhole repair near 56th Avenue as workers realign the highway to newly constructed concrete lanes.
A water main break Thursday caused the sinkhole, and the Colorado Department of Transportation’s emergency repair confined northbound traffic to three, narrow temporary lanes in recent days.
The three new northbound lanes will open by 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, said CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman. They will be wider and allow a return of the speed limit to 55 mph, she said.
Also tonight, the exit ramp from northbound I-25 to 58th Avenue will be closed for restriping.
On Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., CDOT work crews expect to close one of the new northbound lanes to remove concrete construction forms.
Travelers should expect 10- to 15-minute delays during rush hour and should consider using alternate routes, Stegman said. Those who can carpool, ride RTD buses or who have an electronic toll transponder in their vehicle even — if they are riding solo — are encouraged to use the high-occupancy vehicle/high-occupancy toll lanes in the middle of I-25.
On Monday, state Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, asked CDOT to allow all traffic to access the HOV/HOT lanes while sinkhole repairs are underway because of slower-than-normal movement in the temporary traffic lanes. Stegman said that will not happen because CDOT is obligated to maintain the speedier lanes for buses and carpools once initial emergency repairs are made.Final repairs at the sinkhole site may take up to nine more days, she said. Where asphalt lanes were built to bypass the hole, the temporary paving material must be removed and replaced with permanent concrete.Also today, CDOT said to complete repairs and stage equipment, the HOV/HOT lanes will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each day. Normally the special lanes are closed from 10 a.m. to noon and from midnight to 3 a.m. each day.
When all repairs are made, I-25 will be restored to four through traffic lanes and two lanes that exit at 58th Avenue.
