WESTMINSTER, Colo. — After a closure lasting more than two months, the eastbound lanes of US 36 in Westminster will reopen next week.
The highway cracked and started to buckle on July 12 and Colorado Department of Transportation crews closed the road to assess the damage. Over the following days, the roadway continued to shift and crack. A few days later, CDOT said they planned to rearrange the six lanes of the highway so there were two lanes in each direction separated by a concrete barrier for about half a mile. By mid-August, CDOT and Kraemer North America started the rebuilding phase.
All lanes of traffic will be restored next week in their original lane configurations, with tolling back in place, CDOT said.
Before that though, CDOT said it requires two overnight single-lane closures — one on Tuesday evening and one on Wednesday evening. The lanes will close at 8 p.m. and reopen at 5 a.m. the following day.
By the morning commute on Wednesday, two eastbound lanes of US 36 will be open in their original configuration. The third lane will reopen Thursday.
All lanes of the highway will reopen in full by the morning commute Thursday morning, with three lanes in each direction, CDOT said.
The repairs came earlier than expected. CDOT had originally hoped to complete the construction by October. Crews worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week in 12-hour shifts to complete this project.
Additional work will continue along this portion of the road through December. CDOT said the three lanes of eastbound US 36 are safe to be open while crews continue this work.
A temporary bike path will open Wednesday morning near the construction zone. Bicyclists and drivers are asked to use extra caution in this area. The far right lane will have a narrow shoulder and concrete barrier for bicyclists.