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About the Project

This project will extend Picadilly Road between Colfax Avenue and Smith Road via an interchange onto I-70 in Aurora. 

Improved north-south connectivity will unlock a roadway network and make Picadilly Road a key arterial point for the region.

The interchange will improve safety, alleviate congestion, and connect people and commerce to job centers, new neighborhoods and the nation's third busiest airport.

The city and its project partners joined the community to celebrate the start of construction Aug. 1, 2023, at a groundbreaking ceremony.

Project Details

The diverging diamond interchange (DDI) features enhanced safety measures that reduce risks to drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists, including:

• Advanced signaling systems.
• Wider lanes.
• Improved lighting.
• New bicycle and pedestrian path through the DDI.

This will provide safer and more accessible infrastructure for the northeast metro area and will improve the safety and quality of life for non-motorized users.

Check out the many innovations of the DDI model.

Project Benefits

The region is expected to experience many additional benefits from the project. These include:

• Reduction of emissions, freight time and hauling costs.
• Minimized out-of-direction travel for area residents and businesses.
• Savings of up to $132 million in vehicle-operating and travel time.
• Reduced congestion and bottlenecks.

Project Background

City funding, along with a $25 million federal grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and additional financial support from the Aerotropolis Regional Transportation Authority, will pay for the interchange.

The city received its full request for funding from the FHWA and the maximum amount permitted per project under the BUILD multimodal surface transportation grant program. The I-70 Picadilly Interchange Project is one of six projects in the entire country to receive this amount.

Project Schedule

The idea for a new interchange at I-70 and Picadilly Road was first presented in 2007 during an environmental assessment of the I-70/E-470 Interchange Complex. In 2020, a National Environmental Policy Act document allowed the city to proceed. Construction will begin in the fall 2023 and continue until late 2025.