$1 Billion Plan To Expand I-70: 'How Can It Connect A Community?'
DENVER (CBS4)- The Colorado Department of Transportation is moving forward with a $1 billion project designed to revitalize several neighborhoods along the Interstate 70 corridor.
The project will include I-70 from Interstate 25 to Tower Road, near Denver International Airport. CDOT welcomed the community's input at a meeting on Thursday to discuss the project and how it would impact the neighborhoods along I-70.
"If you just go look at the structure it's got a lot of concrete spilling off. The bridge needs to come down," said CDOT's Executive Director Shailen Bhatt.
CDOT said the improvements need to be made now before deterioration continues but some residents aren't happy about the proposal. To make those changes, 56 homes and 17 businesses on the north side of I-70 will come down.
"Some of the neighborhoods most impacted are Elryia, Swansea and Globeville and we wanted to give those in the community a chance for us to come out on their turf and talk to them and give them an explanation on how this is going to impact them," said Bhatt.
"We just spent $1 billion on a new rail line paralleling the same route and serving the same users, how can CDOT justify expanding the highway?" asked one concerned resident.
CDOT said this project is about balancing the impact on the neighborhood with the state's growing population and reliance on I-70 to get through the east-west corridor of the Denver metro area.
"People get concerned when you start taking houses, when you talk about big construction projects, when you talk about impacts to schools and so we want to hear from the community what they're concerns are," said Bhatt.
The project is expected to cost more than $1 billion but that cost will be partially offset by at least one toll lane in each direction.
One of the most outspoken residents who doesn't agree with the plan has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 70 years.
"How can it connect a community when there are walls standing between the community?" asked Bettie Cram. "It's not as great as they're making it sound. It's very hard on the businesses and the homes."
The project will likely begin in 2017 and could take up to five years to complete.