CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Nighttime closures will be in effect this week as the installation of new bridge structure occurs over Interstate 25 as part of the Crystal Valley Interchange Project, designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
The project will "improve safety and mobility in the surrounding community," according to thetown's website, and serve as a "key regional transportation link from I-25 to southern Castle Rock and Douglas County."
Closures will first begin on Southbound I-25 on March 9 and 10 from 10:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The closure will be from Exit 181 (Plum Creek Parkway) to Exit 174 (Tomah Road) with traffic detoured onto East Frontage Road. During the nights of March 11 and 12, Northbound I-25 will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Exit 174 to Exit 181 with traffic being detoured onto East Frontage Road.
Two weeks ago, an equipment malfunction occurred during the overnight closure, resulting in heavy traffic during the morning hours. The project team brought in a replacement crane that could support the girder weight, and the team is "adhering to all safety evaluations and standards to finish the overnight closures," according to a Castle Rock official.
Melanie and Craig Hood can see the construction from their backyard and are prepared to take alternate routes this week.
"We have heard about it and you know, we can go the backway through Plum Creek and we'll get on the highway up a little bit north of here and we'll be fine," Craig Hood said.
The couple has lived in Castle Rock for over 30 years and has seen the changes come to the area. While construction is not an ideal sight, they both recognize it comes with the growth of the area.
"I see it as an advantage because they've built so much along the Frontage Road, knowing that the highway was coming, the highway exit," Melanie Hood explained. "So, the Frontage Road is now school access, so going to work in the morning, I have to go to 20 miles an hour, which seems kind of crazy for Frontage Road, so the bypass being able to jump on the highway right away and getting to Littleton, will be a big advantage with some detriments."
Ellen Staton is another Castle Rock resident who has watched the construction unfold from her home.
"With the interstate and with this neighborhood, ot everybody has to get on and off at Plum Creek and can kind of split the difference, because this site is building up a whole lot to, Crystal Valley, so lots of houses there," Staton said.
The project will be constructed in phases and will be from early 2024 through early 2027, according to CDOT. People are encouraged to check COtrip.org for updates on travel conditions and road closures. To receive updates on the project's progress, there is an email list you can join here.
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