Major changes imminent on I-25, 402

LOVELAND — With the new year, major changes to Colorado Highway 402 and Interstate 25 are about to occur.

The reconstruction of Colorado Highway 402 and the Interstate 25 intersection will require closure of the southbound direction of the southeast frontage road from Colorado Highway 402 to Larimer County Road 16 and work to build additional lanes on the interstate will require a permanent closure of a portion of the west frontage road, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The partial closure of the southeast frontage road will occur 9 p.m. Jan. 6.

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In 2019, the I-25 and Highway 402 interchange will undergo substantial changes as part of the I-25 North Express Lanes Project.  The southeast frontage road will be used as a temporary northbound I-25 off-ramp to Highway 402 while maintaining the northbound direction. In addition, the on-ramp from Highway 402 to northbound I-25 will be relocated to the southeast frontage road at the River Ranch Parkway intersection. This intersection will be modified to a 3-way stop during construction. These traffic shifts will be in place until the intersection is opened in its final configuration in fall 2019, CDOT said in a written statement.

Reconstruction of the I-25/Highway 402 interchange will flip the interchange so that Highway 402 will pass over I-25, shift I-25 to the east to eliminate a sharp curve and construct a new frontage road to the east of the interchange. Roundabouts will be constructed on Highway 402 at the junction of the I-25 ramps and the frontage road. In the final phase, scheduled for summer 2019, Highway 402, from the northbound ramps to the southbound ramps, will close for 120 days for construction.

In addition, on Jan. 7 a portion of the west frontage road from East Larimer County Road 24 south to approximately a quarter mile north of McWhinney Boulevard and adjacent to the UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies will permanently close, said CDOT. This closure will enable crews to begin building the embankment that will support construction of the additional lanes on the I-25. Motorists who use the frontage road will need to travel west on McWhinney Boulevard to Rocky Mountain Avenue. The emergency vehicle access road to MCR from the west frontage road will not be impacted. CDOT said.

The I-25 North Express Lanes project will increase capacity by adding express lanes in both directions, replacing four aging bridges and widening four additional bridges. The project is expected to be completed in 2021.