The Colorado Department of Transportation is alerting drivers of three full overnight closures on Interstate 70 this month for bridge work as part of the Floyd Hill Project.

The closures include one overnight eastbound I-70 closure and two overnight westbound I-70 closures near the Idaho Springs area, according to a news release. State transportation officials said the closures are required as crews continue to make “major progress” on the construction of a cast-in-place segmental bridge, part of the larger $900 million Floyd Hill project.

During these closures, crews will establish a protective shield for the bridge,” the release states. So far, most of the construction of the new bridges has occurred overhead of live traffic.

Eastbound closure

The full closure of eastbound I-70 between Exit 241 to Idaho Spring and Exit 243 to Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway is planned from 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, the release states. 

A detour will be in place requiring all eastbound I-70 traffic to merge into one lane and use the eastbound I-70 off-ramp at Exit 241 to travel east on County Road 314 before re-entering the interstate at the Exit 243 onramp, according to the news release.

As part of this work, the eastbound I-70 off-ramp at Exit 243 will be closed for roughly four days from 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, through 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23, the release states. All traffic should instead use the Exit 241 off-ramp to access the area.

All work is weather-dependent and subject to change, according to CDOT. If weather or unforeseen circumstances impact the work, crews will shift the schedule so that the eastbound I-70 closure occurs from 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, and the extended ramp closure occurs from 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, through 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30.

Westbound closures

Two full overnight closures of westbound I-70 at Exit 244 to U.S. Highway 6 are scheduled from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday to Tuesday night, Oct. 19-20, and Tuesday to Wednesday night, Oct. 20-21, according to the news release.

Drivers on westbound I-70 will merge into one lane and use the Exit 244 off- and on-ramps to continue on the interstate during the closure, the release states.

If weather impacts the work, the schedule could shift by a week, with closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday to Tuesday night Oct. 26-27 and Tuesday to Wednesday night, Oct. 27-28.