History
E-470 Has a Long History
Starting as a joint effort among local government to build and operate an eastern metro Denver beltway, the E-470 Public Highway Authority has grown to become an industry leader in tolling transportation and innovation. Now handling more than 118 million toll transactions per year, E-470 has established itself as a regional mobility solution for metro Denver.
1980
February 26, 1985
E-470 Authority is formed through Memorandum of Understanding between Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.
December 14, 1988
Roy Romer, fourth from left, Betty Anne Dittemore, the only woman, and other leaders did shovel duty at the December 14, 1988 groundbreaking for E-470’s Segment I.
1990
June 1, 1991
Segment I from I-25 South/C-470 to Parker Road opens at 3:30 p.m. One month later, tolls begin on Segment I.
March 16, 1996
Ten-millionth toll-paying customer passes through E-470 toll plazas.
March 14, 1998
Ground is broken on the Authority’s Administrative Headquarters Facility and the building officially opens on February 1, 1999.
2000
June 1, 2001
E-470 launches the Transportation Safety Foundation.
January 3, 2003
E-470 opens final segment or the road from U.S. 85 to the I-25 North interchange in Thornton, completing the 47-mile semi-circular beltway.
June 4, 2007
Cable median barrier installed on 10.25 miles, between South Parker Road and E. Jewell Avenue to improve safety and prevent cross over accidents by absorbing the crash’s kinetic energy and keeping the vehicle in place rather than bouncing it back into traffic. Cable barrier is currently installed on all 47 miles of E-470.
July 4, 2009
E-470 becomes the first all-electronic toll facility in the United States with non-stop cashless tolling.
2010
2011
Transition from hard-case transponders to sticker tags begins.
March 2012
In 2012, E-470 completed the installation of 22 solar arrays in a 17 mile stretch between Gartrell Road and 64th Avenue. The energy from the solar panels powers streetlights, signage, equipment, toll plazas and maintenance facilities along E-470. All panels are built to allow for any solar energy left unused by E-470 to be banked and drawn on in the future.
September 2013
E-470 wins the IBTTA Presidential award for its installation of solar power arrays along the toll road.
August 2017
E-470 installs two DC fast electric vehicle chargers at its headquarters building. Use of the EV chargers is free to drivers.
June 17, 2019
Next phase of road widening project begins, adding a third lane in each direction from Quincy Ave. to I-70.
2020
May 14, 2020
E-470 Board approves 2020 toll rates remain frozen through the end of 2021 without any planned toll rate increases.
September 2020
E-470 wins IBTTA Toll Excellence Award for Proactive Traffic Management Plan and response to the March 2019 bomb cyclone.
February 1, 2021
Completion of road widening and trail expansion project from Quincy Avenue to I-70.
June 30, 2021
E-470 celebrates its 30th anniversary and showed appreciation to its customers by rewarding its first 30 ExpressToll customers with a $30 toll credit.
November 4, 2021
E-470 Board approves to lower toll rates on E-470 in 2022 and extend deeper time of day discounts for 3+ axle vehicles.
April 2022
E-470’s free DC Fast Charge electric vehicle (EV) chargers are upgraded to allow more EVs to charge simultaneously.
June 22, 2022
E-470 hosts its first ever Bike to Work Day breakfast station on the E-470 Multi-Use Trail to educate people on bikes about E-470 trail projects and other multimodal enhancements along the corridor.
September 19, 2022
E-470 wins an IBTTA Toll Excellence Award for its debt and financial management execution, which allowed the Authority to lower toll rates in 2022 despite the pandemic.
September 26, 2022
The next phase of E-470 road widening and trail expansion begins from I-70 to 104th Avenue. The project is anticipated to be complete in 2025.