DENVER — The old Interstate 70 viaduct in Denver is officially gone.
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews completed demolition on the 2-mile-long viaduct in four months, putting the completion one month ahead of schedule.
“The intricacies of conducting demolition in such a confined area close to homes and businesses were a challenge," CDOT Central 70 Project director Bob Hays said. "But from careful planning and execution, the team completed another major project milestone and Denver’s I-70 viaduct is now a thing of the past.”
Crews worked more than 45,000 hours to complete the demolition, which started in May. A total of 52,000 cubic yards of concrete and 1,025 tons of steel were removed and recycled.
The viaduct demolition was part of the Central 70 Project, a reconstruction of a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 70 between Brighton Boulevard and Chambers Road in Denver. The project also involves adding a new tolled express lane in each direction, lowering the interstate between Brighton and Colorado boulevards, and putting a four-acre park over a portion of the lowered interstate.
With the viaduct demolition complete, crews will continue excavating for the future eastbound lanes of I-70, which will mirror the lanes drivers use today. There will be no changes to traffic during the construction.
The new eastbound lanes are on track to open next year, CDOT said. Traffic will be in its final configuration by late next year, with landscaping and other projects continuing through 2023.
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