Bridge Demolition to Close I-25 and 15TH Street for Three Nights This Weekend

December 13, 2012 - Denver Metro Area/CDOT Region 6 - This weekend, December 14 through December 17, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will demolish the southern half of the existing 15th Street bridge over I-25 as part of a safety and mobility project on I-25.

As a result, there will be a full closure of both northbound and southbound I-25 as well as 15th Street over I-25 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. All lanes of I-25 will remain open during the day. Major delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.

“We have already demolished and replaced the northern half of the bridge and will now begin the demolition and reconstruction of the southern portion,” said CDOT Project Engineer Kevin Ryburn. “Following this weekend's work, one lane eastbound and westbound 15th Street will remain open over I-25 as we construction the new bridge."

To complete the work, the following lane closures will be in place, weather permitting:

  • On Friday, December 14 and Saturday December 15, one lane of northbound and southbound I-25 between I-70 and Speer Boulevard will be closed starting at 7 p.m. with a second lane closing at 9 p.m. All lanes of I-25 will close at 11 p.m. and reopen by 9 a.m. on Saturday. 15th Street over I-25 will also be closed from each night from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • On Sunday, December 16, one lane of northbound and southbound I-25 between I-70 and Speer Boulevard will be closed starting at 7 p.m. with a second lane closing at 9 p.m. All lanes of I-25 will close at 11 p.m. and reopen by 5:30 a.m. on Monday. 15th Street over I-25 will also be closed from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

The following detour routes will be in place over the weekend. Major delays are possible and alternate routes are strongly advised.

  • Southbound I-25: Exit onto westbound I-70 and take I-70 to Federal Boulevard. Travel south on Federal Boulevard to Speer Boulevard and then south on Speer Boulevard to I-25.
  • Northbound I-25: Exit onto northbound Speer Boulevard and take Speer Boulevard to Federal Boulevard. Then travel north on Federal Boulevard to I-70. Take I-70 east to I-25.
  • 15th Street: Motorists on 15th Street will be detoured to Little Raven Street to 20th Street and then to Central Street.

Uniform traffic control will be in place throughout the detour routes to help guide motorists and to monitor the flow of traffic during the closure. CDOT would like to remind motorists to obey all construction signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

The girder installation is part of a safety and mobility project on I-25 between approximately 20th Street and Speer Boulevard that replaces the 15th Street bridge over I-25 and adds auxiliary lanes on southbound I-25 just south of 20th Street to just south of Speer Boulevard to help eliminate the weaving at the on and off-ramps on I-25.

In addition, various vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle improvements will be made on Central Street, including constructing of a 10-foot bicycle/pedestrian path from 16th Street to 20th Street and adding additional on-street parking on the west side of Central Street north of 17th Street. The City and County of Denver is funding the improvements along Central Street.

Hamon Contractors, Inc. is the contractor for this $11.7 million project that will continue through late 2013 or early 2014.