The demolition of the Yale Avenue bridge over Interstate 225 this weekend will cause major delays for drivers as crews begin to make way for the widening of the highway and extension of light rail to Iliff Avenue.
The bridge demolition will result in full closures of I-225 on Friday and Saturday.
Crews closed East Yale Avenue in Aurora early this morning and it will remain closed to traffic until December as a new bridge over I-225 is built, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
To complete the bridge demolition, there will be a full closures of northbound and southbound I-225 between Parker Road and Iliff Avenue on Friday and Saturday:
• Friday: All lanes of northbound and southbound I-225 between Parker Road and Iliff Avenue will be closed from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday.
• Saturday: All lanes of northbound and southbound I-225 between Parker Road and Iliff Avenue will be closed from 8 p.m. until 10 a.m. Sunday.
During the closures, motorists on southbound I-225 will exit onto Iliff Avenue and travel west to Peoria Street and then over to Parker Road where access to southbound I-225 is available.
Motorists on northbound I-225 will exit onto Parker Road and travel west/north to Peoria Street and then over to Iliff Avenue where access to northbound I-225 is available.
Replacing the bridge is the start of the widening of I-225 between Mississippi Avenue and Parker Road to accommodate three lanes in each direction with an additional auxiliary lane, CDOT officials stay.
It’s all part of the first leg of the I-225 Rail Line, which will connect the existing Southeast Light Rail Line at Nine Mile Station on Parker Road with the planned East Rail Line at the Peoria/Smith Station.
The first segment from Nine Mile to Iliff will open in summer 2014.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
