Beginning this week, East Long Road, a busy connector street that links portions of Orchard Road in southwest Greenwood Village, will be completely closed while it is rebuilt from the ground up.
Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists who frequent the street should plan on getting used to detour routes because the work is scheduled to stretch into December. Greenwood Village officials are recommending drivers use Holly Street and University Boulevard to get off of Orchard Road and head south to Arapahoe Road to travel east and west through the area. Pedestrians and cyclists are being told to use a portion of the were it snakes along the south side of Long Road between University and Colorado boulevards.
The less than 1-mile-long stretch of road was first paved in 1972 and is at the end of its operable life. It will receive a “full-depth reconstruction,” which includes drainage, winter icing mitigation and landscaping work, according to the city. A full closure is necessary because the area is narrow.
“Due to the nature of the work and the limited width of the right-of-way, the road will be closed so that the project can be completed in a safe and efficient manner,” according to the project website.
The city is committed to working with neighboring municipalities and local law enforcement to mitigate traffic concerns caused by the closure and resulting heavier use of detour streets. City spokeswoman Melissa Gallegos said this closure will impact rush hour and lunch hour traffic in the area.
For more information, people are encouraged to visit the project website, , or call the project hotline at 970-539-0486. Project Manager John Wannigman can also be contacted with questions at 303-708-6139 or jwannigman@greenwoodvillage.com.