CDOT plans several upcoming projects for northern Colorado

With the issue of transportation continuing to grow across the region, the Colorado Department of Transportation held an open house Thursday to present and discuss what the future will hold for those traveling across northern Colorado in the coming years.

As part of a statewide effort, the meeting presented the 2035 Regional and Statewide Transportation Plans to let residents know of what is being planned for the future, as well as offering one final chance for input on the upcoming projects.

For Weld and Larimer counties, these plans mainly include a variety of roadway resurfacing projects as well as bridge replacements and repairs. However, according to Myron Hora, the planning and environmental manager for CDOT, funding shortages across the state threaten to present a major challenge as the project moves ahead.

"Yeah, the locals don't have enough money, the highway department doesn't have enough," Hora said. He did mention, however, that the Governor's Blue Ribbon panel is researching options on how to better fund the projects.

According to Hora, the meeting was intended to give the community a chance to offer feedback and almost everyone who attended was on board with the plan.

"What we try to do is try to get public input, try to get input from local officials on what are the needs over the next 25, 30 years of, you know, the planning horizon," Hora said. "Because this is one of the last stages of this planning process, it's really almost a wrap up piece of this," Hora said.

Many of the projects set to begin in the coming year will follow this plan, as they will focus on bridges and roadway resurfacing.

Hora was hesitant to look past the coming year, however, as the priority of many of the projects on deck could change depending on the coming winter. He did note that U.S. 34 Bypass was tentatively on schedule to receive a new coat of asphalt in the summer of 2009.

For more information, please visit http://www.dot.state.co.us/StateWidePlanning/PlansStudies/2035Plan.asp.

Upcoming CDOT projects

» A $1.8 million project to replace the lower Big Thompson bridge is set to begin this winter.

» A $1.6 million bridge deck replacement and repair project on U.S. 34 east of Greeley at the South Platte river will begin this winter.

» A $20 million project to resurface Interstate 25 from the Berthoud exit to as far north as U.S. 34 will begin in the spring

» U.S. 34 will be resurfaced from I-25 to Colo. 257 and again from Kersey to Hardin.

» U.S. 85 is set be resurfaced from La Salle to Colo. 60.