CDOT breaks ground Monday on $114 million project at Interstate 25, East US 50 interchange
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - Two months have passed since KRDO13's The Road Warrior broke the story of an upcoming project to improve the busy interchange at I-25 and East US 50. On Monday, officials held a groundbreaking ceremony to officially start the project.
As The Road Warrior reported in October -- a week after $114 million in federal funding was approved --crews will make a number of upgrades to the area.
Among them: replacing five bridges that cross I-25, Fountain Creek and the Union Pacific; repaving a stretch of the interstate with concrete; and moving the interchange slightly northeast of its current location to straighten out curves for increased safety.
The two bridges across the creek and the overpass are rated in "poor" condition; CDOT will replace the two creek bridges with one that is longer and wider.
"Widened shoulders is what I'd like to hit on, because it's one of those things we don't really think about until we need it," said John Cater, of the Federal Highway Administration. "If you're pulled over on the side of the road, it's really nice to have an extra three or four feet of shoulder to get you farther away from traffic."
The project is believed to be the costliest in Pueblo history.
"With our limited transportation resources across the state, a project of this magnitude -- $114 million -- can only be funded by cobbling together a variety of funding sources," said Herman Stockinger, CDOT's deputy director. "This project has no fewer than seven funding pots."
Crews will begin construction in the bed of Fountain Creek while the water level is much lower than it will be during spring runoff.
Another facet of the project is the installation of a sound wall between the interstate and the neighborhood to the west.
Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham praised the project for providing benefits that go beyond drivers and traffic.
"We're excited that the project will also expand our city's trail system to include a new east-to-west pedestrian trail connecting the Fountain Creek Trail -- further enhancing mobility for our residents," she said.
The concrete paving will cover both sides of the interchange, between 29th Street to just north of Mineral Palace Park.
CDOT said that most of the work in the early phases will happen in an open area east of I-25, and significant traffic impacts won't happen until late next year.
The open area was once the site of several businesses that were bought out by the agency to make room for the project.
CDOT expects to finish the project by mid-2027.
It's believed to be the first major improvement in that area since I-25 was built 60 years ago.
