Road Widening Projects

People choose to take E-470 because it provides a quick, safe, and reliable commute. To maintain this level of service, E-470 must build more capacity now to stay ahead of population growth coming to the region to keep people moving in the east Denver metro area. Since 2016, E-470 has been working to build more capacity on its 47-mile roadway and has also built more than 12.5 miles of the High Plains Trail through its road widening projects.

In fall 2022, E-470 began construction on the next phase of road widening to add a third travel lane in each direction from I-70 to 104^th Avenue to help move more people along this 11-mile stretch and stay ahead of population growth in the area. The project also includes extensions of the High Plains Trail, which runs adjacent to the roadway. A new concrete multi-use path will be built from 26^th to 64^th Avenues in Aurora and from 88^th to 104^th Avenues in Commerce City to provide better connections to other trails in the region for people on bikes and on foot. The goal is to eventually connect the High Plains Trail to Peña Boulevard and continue extending it further north.

Additional Travel Enhancements:

• New interchanges at 38^th Avenue and at 48^th Avenue.
• Expanding the existing interchange at 64^th Avenue and widening the bridge over E-470 as new development moves toward the airport, just east of the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center.
• Building a collector road at the E-470 northbound interchange with Peña Boulevard (like the southbound Peña interchange), which will enhance safety by separating traffic on the interchange from mainline through traffic.
• New deer fencing to protect wildlife and reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions on the roadway.
• Freshly paved asphalt surface to provide a smoother ride.

While construction is underway, concrete barriers will be in place throughout the work zone. People should expect intermittent single-travel lane closures on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. as well as during overnight hours between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. When cones are set and picked up during these daily lane closures, construction crews, and law enforcement will slow roll traffic to speeds around 5 mph. This is done for the safety of the workers in the construction zone. E-470 message boards will alert people about the work in advance. The public’s patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated. All work is weather-dependent and subject to change.

Crews will work in phases, beginning at the southern end of E-470 from I-70 to north of Peña Boulevard. As the project gets underway, E-470 will notify its customers in advance about potential travel impacts. The project is anticipated to be complete by 2025.

Want to be the first to know about potential travel impacts and project milestones? Click here to join our project updates email list.

Project Materials

• Project Overview | Spanish
• Frequently Asked Questions | Spanish
• Project Map | Spanish
• High Plains Trail Overview | Spanish
• Project Renderings
• Construction Zone

Improving Connectivity

One of the largest activities within the E-470 Road Widening and Trail Expansion Project is the addition of two new interchanges at 38th and 48th Avenues.

Currently, only two ramps on the northbound side at 38th Avenue give the Aurora Highlands – 12,500 homes, a 4,000-acre master planned community – access to E-470 and vice versa. Construction on the 38th Avenue interchange will add new ramps in each direction and an additional bridge over E-470. The existing 48th Avenue bridge over E-470 will be widened and ramps will be added in each direction. These two interchanges will also improve connectivity and traffic flow to the newly developed communities in Green Valley Ranch, such as High Point and the Windler Homestead. In addition, the existing E-470 Toll Plaza will be relocated about one-half mile south of its current location to make room for the 38th Avenue interchange.

Due to the extent of work needed to construct both the new 38th Avenue bridge and the tolling gantry over E-470, there will be a few travel impacts for customers in addition to standard project lane closures. Upcoming closures or detours will be listed below. All work is weather-dependent and subject to change. Customers will also be notified of the impacts via E-470 social media and the Road Widening Project email list. You can sign up for the list by clicking here.

Upcoming Travel Impacts

On Tuesday, Dec. 5, and Wednesday, Dec. 6, crews will install girders for the future improved 48^th Ave. bridge at E-470 and 48^th Ave. The work will take place overnight from 7 p.m. – 6 a.m. each night.

On Tuesday, Dec. 5, northbound traffic will be detoured near the future 48^th Ave. via 48^th Ave. off- and on-ramps, southbound lanes will be open.

On Wednesday, Dec. 6, southbound traffic will be detoured near the future 48^th Ave. via 48^th Ave. off- and on-ramps, northbound lanes will be open.  We expect minimal travel delays for our customers during these nights.

Previous Roadway and Trail Improvements

In 2021, the E-470 Public Highway Authority added a third travel lane in each direction from Quincy Avenue to I-70 and extended the High Plains Trail by six miles. Additionally, the project expanded bridges, installed new entrance/exit ramps, upgraded traffic signals, improved drainage for stormwater runoff, and paved the roadway with fresh asphalt to provide a smoother ride.

Fun Facts:

• More than 7,200 cubic yards of structural concrete was poured.
• 180,000 tons of asphalt was rolled out.
• 15 miles of new or reset wildlife fencing was installed along the roadway to reduce vehicle-wildlife crashes on the roadway.
• 800,000 cubic yards of earthwork was completed.

The project spanned over two years for a total cost of $94.4 million, which was under budget and funded from Authority capital reserves as planned. Watch the video below to learn more!