Commute Disrupted As CDOT Begins $4.2M Mousetrap Repairs
DENVER (CBS4)- Starting Wednesday night, a major construction project will fix crumbling bridges along Denver's two major interstates.
Colorado Department of Transportation's bridge repair project will also have a huge impact on drivers commuting around the Denver metro area.
Crews will be repairing a total of nine bridges at the interchange over a roughly six month period.
In order to minimize the impact on traffic, the work will be conducted only during overnight hours. Crews will work Sunday through Thursday from 8 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.
Workers will need to close individual lanes as well as entire ramps, which will require some details.
From a bird's eye view, it is not hard to see why the place where Interstate 25 meets Interstate 70 is known as "the Mousetrap."
The two major thoroughfares that interchange in Denver's Globeville neighborhood will be getting a much-needed facelift.
The project includes mending holes in the bridge deck, replacing all expansion joints, and overlaying new, waterproof concrete.
The $4.2 million task is as expansive as it is important, said Stacia Sellers, a spokeswoman for CDOT.
"This project is pretty significant because this is such an economic area for the state of Colorado, because you're dealing with both I-25 and I-70, going near downtown, so it's just really important that we extend the lifespan."
The mousetrap's lifespan of 30-years is showing its age.
Deteriorating bridge decks and failing expansion joints in the last few months have put drivers in danger.
Denver's population boom is adding to the wear-and-tear, making the project a priority.
A map from CDOT shows the work area. Red squares indicate where crews will work on ramps that will remain partially open. Blue squares indicate ramps that crews will need to completely shut down to complete work.
The ramp work means that some drivers, like Matthew Easterling, may have to find an alternate route.
"That will be a pain for a lot of people, but I mean, it's a necessary pain," Easterling told CBS4's Melissa Garcia.
"We know that this is going to be a huge inconvenience to motorists," echoed Sellers. "There might be some delays, but just prepare for that."
LINK: Plan Your Commute Ahead Of Time At Cotrip.org
Officials are asking drivers to prepare by planning their trips ahead of time. Visit cotrip.org for up-to-date information on roadwork, closures and detours.
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.