Colorado DOT photo
(L-R): Heather Paddock, Colleen Witlow, Shailen Bhatt, State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer, Shoshana Lew and Abra Geisler, project director for North I-25, break ground on the project.
The Colorado Department of Transportation held a ground breaking ceremony to officially kick off the next I-25 North Express Lanes Project segment, Mead to Berthoud.
"This six-mile project will expand and enhance I-25, from Colorado Highway 66 in Mead and connect to the newly built portion of I-25 just south of CO 56 in Berthoud, making travel safer, more reliable and efficient in northern Colorado," said CDOT Northeast Colorado Regional Transportation Director Heather Paddock. "Once complete in 2028, this project will complete the last missing link on I-25 and will be the first time there will be more than two lanes of I-25 from Denver to Fort Collins in both directions."
The event took place at the north end of the project limits — off of Colorado Highway 56 at I-25. Representatives from CDOT, the Federal Highway Administration and Colorado Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer were in attendance and gave remarks to celebrate the start of the next improvements to I-25.
CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew talked about the importance of this partnership. "I would like to recognize all of the partnership to get this project moving quickly and the incredible work of the CDOT Region 4 team, who have delivered many segments of this project efficiently and effectively. This link will ensure a consistent ride for both drivers and Bustang, making mass transportation even more attractive to passengers and making Northern Colorado more attractive to people who work in Denver and beyond."
The first phase of the project includes constructing additional width on the northbound inside shoulder. Drivers should anticipate increased construction activity in the area. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2028.
Ralph L. Wadsworth & SEMA Construction are the construction managers for this project.
Kirkmeyer, who was on the Weld County board of commissioners when a lot of the planning for I-25 ramped up, is excited. "After 50 years and 4 million more people in Colorado and with help from county and city leaders and the business community, Colorado's Main Street — I-25 — gets a much needed ‘makeover'— finally," she said.
During construction, two lanes of traffic on I-25 will be maintained in each direction during peak travel times, but drivers can expect overnight lane closures in the area. In addition, lane and shoulder widths will be minimized. The speed limit will be reduced.
"I'm thrilled to return to Colorado to celebrate the groundbreaking of Segment 5 of the I-25 Corridor project, a project that will benefit the region and nation," said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. "By eliminating the bottleneck between Mead and Berthoud and enhancing multimodal connections, we're advancing safety, trip reliability, freight efficiency, and reducing emissions."
Mayor of Mead Colleen Witlow added what this project will mean for her community. "As the Mead Mayor and a proud member of the North I-25 Coalition for the past 10 years, I am not just a representative, but also a fellow community member who shares in your excitement and pride," she said. "This segment is more than just a road improvement; it is a testament to our collective vision and shared purpose."
This project will:
- Reduce congestion, vehicle accidents, fatalities and greenhouse gas emissions;
- Improve trip reliability and freight efficiency;
- Increase user choice by adding an Express Lane in both directions;
- Improve aging infrastructure;
Specific corridor improvements include:
- Widen the inside roadway shoulder to 10 ft. and the outside roadway shoulder to 12 ft. (both are currently 4-ft. wide);
- Fully reconstruct the I-25 and Weld County Road 34 interchange;
Fully reconstruct bridges along this section of I-25, including:
- Weld County Road 32;
- Weld County Road 34;
- I-25 over Great Western Railway;
- Weld County Road 38;
- I-25 over Valley Road.
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