It has been 70 years since Denver7 first hit the airways. All month lengthy, we’re exhibiting you the modifications to our station and our state. As Colorado grew, so did our highways. Denver7 Visitors Professional Jayson Luber takes us on a highway journey— from the Mouse Lure to Floyd Hill.
The Mouse Lure
The intersection of Denver’s two main interstates: Interstate 25 and Interstate 70 is understood to most long-time Coloradans “the mouse lure.”
There’s nonetheless a debate about who got here up with the identify, whether or not it was Denver’s first airborne site visitors reporter, the late Don Martin who stated the intertwining ramps may lure a mouse, or former Denver7 Client and Leisure reporter Invoice Clarke.
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Both manner, the connection and two interstates are important to not simply the Metropolis of Denver, but additionally to all of Colorado. Almost half 1,000,000 automobiles drive by the mouse lure day by day. That’s simply shy of how many individuals stay in Wyoming.
This interchange went by its final main reconfiguration in the course of the Nineteen Nineties. In 1984, a US Navy truck hauling six torpedoes overturned inflicting panic and gridlocked site visitors for the day, prompting the brand new design.
The ultimate bridge was devoted in 2003 in the midst of one of many largest and most costly public works initiatives in Colorado historical past— “TREX.”
TREX
The Union Avenue bridge over I-25 on the north aspect of the Denver Tech Middle was some of the essential and dramatic modifications to I-25. That is one among 18 bridges that have been both changed or rehabilitated as a part of the TREX challenge.
TREX was the nickname for the transportation enlargement challenge. TREX wasn’t nearly widening and modernizing I-25 and the part of I-225 as much as Parker Highway, it was additionally about increasing the sunshine rail system between downtown Denver and the Denver Tech Middle— the southern enterprise hub of metro Denver.

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I coated TREX from the site visitors helicopter. It was my first long run, main transportation story.
The amount of site visitors right here was predicted to exceed its most capability of 180,000 automobiles per day, and it was feared the freeway could be close to gridlock many of the day.
However one among my strongest recollections have been the instances I-25 would flood underneath Logan Avenue. It used to occur a lot we use to name it “Lake Logan.” One significantly dangerous flood occurred proper throughout development, trapping drivers who needed to be rescued from their vehicles. Because of improved drainage and a big retention space, flooding doesn’t actually occur there anymore.
TREX took 5 years to finish. It was lastly completed again in 2006, and 17 years later, I-25 at Belleview now carries about 280,000 every day. It is nonetheless gradual going every afternoon, nevertheless it’s higher than it was heading south on I-25 into Douglas County to a different main change of I-25.

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We are actually driving south of Citadel Rock in an space nicknamed “the hole.” It acquired the moniker as a result of till final yr, it was nonetheless simply two lanes between right here and Monument. It remained comparatively unchanged because it was initially constructed about the identical time that Denver7 signed on the air within the Nineteen Fifties.
One of many distinctive components of this challenge is one among a number of tunnels constructed underneath I-25. You gained’t see any vehicles or bikes or folks strolling by there. The tunnel is completely for the wildlife that lives and migrates by this space. This tunnel helps to get rid of the quite a few collisions that have been all too frequent right here between automobiles and elk, deer and even bears.
Nonetheless with wider, extra comfy lanes, drivers have felt extra aggressive, going sooner than ever with speeds now averaging properly over 80 mph.

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Central 70 challenge
On the north aspect of downtown Denver, a park now tops I-70— a 1,000 foot lengthy tunnel that permits site visitors to circulation beneath all the youngsters who play there day by day.
The greater than $1 billion Central 70 challenge was completed simply final yr. It is a terrific instance of how highways could be remodeled from splitting a neighborhood to bringing the group again collectively once more.
The unique design was an elevated bridge kind freeway that reduce proper by the neighborhoods. It wasn’t till the bridge was in such disrepair with concrete falling off and rebar exhibiting, that as a substitute of changing it, the thought was to decrease the interstate and join the roads at floor degree to permit the group to come back collectively once more.

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This isn’t the one tunnel on I-70. There’s a for much longer one about 60 miles away at an elevation of 11,000 toes.
Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels
West of Denver is likely one of the two main accomplishments of I-70 within the Colorado mountains. We name them the EJMT— the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels. The Eisenhower bore carries site visitors west. The Johnson bore lets site visitors circulation again to the Entrance Vary.
It’s not an understatement to say that these tunnels reduce underneath the Continental Divide are the first hyperlink to the east and west sides of Colorado.
Positive, you can roll over 12,000 foot Loveland Move because the hazardous materials vehicles nonetheless do. However the tunnels enable practically 40,000 automobiles, together with thousand and hundreds of different semi vehicles, to simply roll although day by day— one thing Loveland go may by no means deal with.

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The final time I used to be there was to rejoice the fiftieth birthday of the Eisenhower bore. Get this— since these tunnels have been opened, there have been greater than 435 million automobiles which have used these tunnels.
Glenwood Canyon
The opposite I-70 mountain engineering marvel is west of right here by Glenwood Canyon. It’s not hyperbole to say that challenge in the course of the Eighties was a marvel due to the way in which the interstate is stacked, double decker model in locations. And the challenge workforce took care to include the interstate into the delicate canyon atmosphere.
The canyon has seen it’s fair proportion of points with latest flooding and extreme mud slides that closed the interstate for a pair weeks again in the summertime of 2021. CDOT performed in depth work over the past couple of years to forestall future rockfall and particles circulation.
Simply down the hill from there’s a place the place site visitors doesn’t circulation properly in any respect, and it’s the place for one among CDOT subsequent huge enhancements.
Floyd Hill
Floyd Hill is simply east of Idaho Springs and simply west of Evergreen. This place was named for Merril Floyd who had a ranch up right here and who additionally owned the Clear Creek Wagon Highway Firm, which constructed the unique highway on this space.
Anybody who has tried to go snowboarding within the winter is aware of this hill all too properly, sitting in site visitors for what seems like hours.
This present $700 million challenge will reshape the look of this main hall that connects the mountains to metro Denver. The challenge encompasses an 8 mile part of I-70 that’s in determined want of a improve. To not point out, the hill on the south aspect of I-70 was slowly sliding down.
The extra lane right here can be a tolled categorical lane like those we’ve seen constructed on most metro space highways. Some of the attention-grabbing components of the modifications right here can be an elevated freeway deck just like I-70 in Glenwood Canyon.
CDOT says this rebuild will take about 5 years. When it is accomplished, it ought to instantly assist alleviate the seemingly limitless stopped site visitors that gathers right here each weekend.
One other busy space is within the northern Entrance Vary the place the expansion is exploding.
I-25 north by Longmont, Berthoud, Loveland and Fort Collins is only a very small part of one of many different main and seemingly by no means ending northern Entrance Vary initiatives.
This challenge has been huge, constructed in a number of phases that began 5 years in the past.
Initially, development was set to wrap up final yr, however increasingly more components have been added as funding turned out there. That allowed CDOT to not solely rebuild the roadway however additionally they changed bridges with fully new buildings and put in new designs just like the diverging diamond exterior Berthoud the place you drive on the left, not the suitable for a time.
Additionally new to Colorado are mobility hubs that enable for commuter buses to cease in the midst of the interstate the place passengers get on and off permitting for faster journeys between northern Colorado communities and Denver.

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The way forward for journey right here can be CDOT’s Bustang commuter bus service that may cease at transit hubs within the middle a part of the interstate permitting for sooner service to and from Denver.
Whereas there’s an finish to this challenge scheduled for now someday in 2024, one other main challenge that has been wanted for years continues to be on the horizon.
As we glance to the way forward for metro space enhancements we want not look farther than Interstate 270- a brief phase of interstate that connects our two main roadways I-70 and I-25 although Commerce Metropolis. It is all the time busy. Even in the course of the pandemic, this was the primary phase of roadway to get again to just about regular ranges of site visitors.
CDOT is seeking to the way forward for 270 by including and categorical lane, changing practically a dozen bridges and remodeling the principle interchange at Vasquez.
Individuals ask me on a regular basis, “What’s the way forward for transportation within the subsequent 25 or 50 years? Self driving vehicles? Flying vehicles?” (The best way folks drive now I’m undecided I need to fly subsequent to them.) I’m certain there can be extra city bike lanes and an emphasis on various transit however actually, solely time will inform.
However what I do know is that we right here at Denver7 can be right here to cowl all of it for you.
Denver7’s Jayson Luber seems to be at evolution of state roadways over final 70 yrs.

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