Drivers in Boulder should brace themselves for several months of construction as the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) kicks off a significant pavement rehabilitation project on May 4th. Partnering with Brannan Sand and Gravel, the $4.6 million endeavor will focus on Colorado Highway 119 (Boulder Canyon Drive) and Colorado Highway 7 (Canyon Boulevard), extending from 28th Street to the entrance of Boulder Canyon.
According to CDOT, the first phase of construction involves utility relocations and concrete improvements, like sidewalks and curb ramp upgrades, all set to occur overnight in the week of May 4th. Eager to disrupt the daily bustle as little as possible, crews will place the cones down and pick the shovels up after the sun sets, from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Friday. Adjustments to work hours will be tailored to accommodate the University of Colorado’s graduation festivities, retreating further into the night, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., from May 7 through 11.
Next in the pipeline is a slew of resurfacing operations penciled in for the two weeks preceding the Memorial Day weekend on CO 7, spanning from 28th Street to Broadway. Once the holiday traffic dissipates, workers will dig deep into the third phase, tackling the section of CO 119 leading to the canyon's mouth. Described by CDOT, this stage will see a thorough roadway reconstruction, demanding the complete removal of the fraying asphalt and installing a fresh, tenacious layer in its stead, with new pavement markings and guardrails to boot.
Travelers should prep for disruptions, with one-lane reductions and nightly single alternating lane closures haunting their commutes during the initial phases. A temporary traffic signal will shepherd cars when a two-lane road shrinks to one, near the west end of the work zone. Side street access may get the squeeze at times, so drivers might have to get chummy with detours, and pedestrians will need to play hopscotch over temporary sidewalk closures. For the bus-riding populace, fear not, for CDOT has promised coordination with Mass-Transit to maintain the flow of public transportation.
