First scheduled overnight full closure of Interstate 25 near Fountain brings unexpected changes

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) -- Is the project to repave a half-mile of I-25 in both directions running into delays, or has the schedule changed?

That's what many drivers may be wondering after the second night of a northbound closure between Santa Fe Avenue and Mesa Ridge Parkway ended an hour early, while the first night of the southbound closure didn't happen.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) explained that an issue with a milling machine used to remove old asphalt, left a small section of the northbound lanes unfinished and the machine couldn't be used to start milling the southbound lanes.

CDOT said that the issue should be resolved by overnight Wednesday but the resulting delay means that the project -- originally scheduled for completion by late Saturday morning -- won't be finished until next Thursday.

When KRDO 13's The Road Warrior crew drove through the area just after 4 a.m., southbound I-25 -- scheduled to be closed from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. -- had traffic flowing normally.

Then, at 5 a.m. -- an hour ahead of schedule -- crews began taking down signs and barricades that closed I-25 northbound traffic.

That pleased some drivers who seemed confused by the closure.

"How am I supposed to get onto the highway?" a passing driver asked.

Actual paving in the area has yet to begin; the milling, or removal, of old pavement has happened in the northbound lanes but not the southbound lanes.

CDOT also is monitoring traffic signals along the detour route of Santa Fe, Mesa Ridge and Highway 85-87, to adjust them if needed because of additional traffic.

Just north of the paving area, CDOT recently completed a 7.5-mile installation of concrete pavement, ending at South Academy Boulevard.