State transportation officials tonight plan to close all lanes of northbound and southbound Interstate 25 near West Alameda Avenue so contractors can erect bridge girders for the middle portion of the new Alameda bridge over I-25.
One lane of I-25 in each direction will be closed at 8 p.m. and a second northbound and southbound lane will be closed at 9 p.m. At 11 p.m. all lanes in each direction near Alameda will be closed, with a reopening scheduled for 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
A similar shutdown is slated for Tuesday night, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
During the closures motorists on northbound I-25 will exit at Alameda and follow detour signs to Santa Fe Drive for bypassing the closure area, CDOT said. Those driving southbound are encouraged to exit at West 6th Avenue and take either Broadway or Federal Boulevard south to rejoin I-25, the agency said.
Motorists on southbound I-25 who elect to exit at Alameda are likely to face even longer delays, CDOT said.
Work on the Alameda bridge is part of a $37.4 million project, funded with federal stimulus dollars, that will construct a wider span and make other improvements in the vicinity of the busy I-25/Alameda Avenue junction. The full project is scheduled for completion in September 2012.
Also tonight, CDOT contractors will close one lane of northbound Santa Fe Drive and all lanes of southbound Santa Fe between C-470 and County Line Road so crews can work on the flyover that will connect southbound Santa Fe with eastbound C-470.
For tonight’s work, all lanes of southbound Santa Fe will be closed at 9 p.m. and reopen at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The one lane of northbound Santa Fe will close at 7 p.m. and also reopen Tuesday at 5:30 a.m.
The $26.7 million project that includes the new Santa Fe/C-470 flyover is partially funded by federal stimulus money and has funding as well from CDOT and Douglas County. It is scheduled for completion by January 2012.
During closures on both projects, “major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised,” CDOT said.
