Crews prepare U.S. 34 for repaving to begin this week

The last time U.S. 34 was repaved between Greeley and Loveland was in 1992.

Since then, both cities have seen their populations boom and a larger number of people traveling east and west along the route. And then, of course, there's the shopping and commercial center at Centerra, which alone has driven traffic up substantially.

While traffic on the road between the interchange at Interstate 25 and Greeley's city limits isn't exactly clogged at all times during the day, the ride on U.S. 34 can be a bumpy one with an aging road pock-marked with patches of black asphalt over what were once potholes.

Starting this week, the Colorado Department of Transportation -- using contractors and federal highway dollars -- will begin a $4.8 million resurfacing project on U.S. 34 between I-25 and Colo. 257 on the western outskirts of Greeley.

The project is one of nine northern Colorado will see in the area this summer, said Mindy Crane, spokeswoman for the transportation department. In addition to the resurfacing, several road widenings are planned.

* U.S. 34 Business Route in west Greeley will be widened from Colo. 257 to 71st Avenue starting in July from two lanes to four.

* U.S. 34 Bypass near 35th Avenue. An additional turn lane will be added from westbound U.S. 34 to southbound 35th Avenue beginning in June.

* A bridge replacement continues on a U.S. 34 bridge over the Big Thompson River.

* I-25 has major widenings ongoing from Colo. 66 to Colo. 119 in Longmont and Colo. 52 to Colo. 119.

* Other minor resurfacing projects around Weld County that typically take less than a week to complete, Crane said.

Workers will begin the resurfacing the six-mile stretch of U.S. 34 toward I-25 in earnest next week after preparing the road for the work this week.

Motorists can expect lane closures in both directions from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The speed limit also will be lowered to 45 mph from the 65 mph it is now.

State roads, which CDOT is responsible for maintaining, are rated good, fair or poor. Crane said it is likely that U.S. 34 is rated fair.

"We try to catch things in the good/fair area," Crane said, adding that the resurfacing is meant to act as a barrier so road condition doesn't get worse.

Crews also will work on the westbound ramp onto U.S. 34 from 10th Street -- the U.S. 34 Business route -- as part of the resurfacing.

CDOT money for road resurfacing in 2008

$153 million for entire state

$37.8 million for Region 4, which encompasses most of northern Colorado along the I-25 corridor, including Greeley