Questions About This Project?

Email: [email protected]
Hotline: 720.477.3799

Upcoming Traffic Impacts

• Heads up! In observance of the Fourth of July holiday, there will be no scheduled traffic impacts for the I-70 Picadilly Project on eastbound and westbound I-70 from noon Thursday, July 3, to 6 a.m. Monday, July 7. 

• Eastbound I-70 
  -From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, July 7, through Saturday, July 12, there will be alternating right- and left-lane closures. 
  -Please be cautious: Lanes will shift slightly toward the median, with one lane of traffic in each direction, so crews may conduct concrete removals. Be aware that trucks may be entering eastbound I-70 from the shoulders.  

• Westbound I-70 
  -From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, July 7, through Saturday, July 12, there will be alternating right- and left-lane closures. 
  -Please be cautious: Lanes will shift slightly towards the median, with one lane of traffic in each direction, so crews can conduct concrete removals.

• Colfax Avenue near I-70 
  Traffic on Colfax Avenue is shifted to the eastbound travel lanes, with one lane of traffic in each direction. Traffic will remain in this configuration for a couple of months while crews restripe the roadway, begin removals and start construction on this portion of the diverging diamond interchange. The speed limit on Colfax Avenue will be reduced to 45 mph through the construction zone.

• Picadilly Road south of Smith Road
  Picadilly Road between Smith Road and East 19th Avenue is closed for several months while crews complete utility relocations, roadway removals and reconstruction. Traffic is being detoured to Sicily Street for alternate access. Parking on Sicily Street is not allowed during this closure.

Continuing Traffic Impacts

• The speed limit on I-70 will remain reduced to 60 mph through the construction zone during daytime operations.
• The left and right shoulders on both eastbound and westbound I-70 near Colfax Avenue will be closed in sections with concrete barrier from about Tower to Gun Club roads, including the left shoulder on the E-470 ramp to westbound I-70, for the foreseeable future.
• Be cautious of slow-moving trucks. Please give them extra space as they enter and exit the work zone. 

About the Project

This design-build 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.

What is Design-Build?

Design-Build (or D/B) is a way of building things where the design and construction of a project happen at the same time under a single contract — allowing for better collaboration between the design team and construction team.

D/B saves time and money because we don’t have to wait for one phase of the project to finish before starting the next. The design-builder has a plan in place to ensure quality throughout every phase. They make sure the improvements are built to industry standards.

At the start of a D/B project, only about one-third of the design is complete. The design team starts with the first things to be built, and once those plans are approved, the construction team gets to work. While they're building, the designers are already working on the next part of the project. This cycle continues until the whole project is done.
 
There are sometimes gaps between major construction activities. During this time, work is happening behind the scenes as the construction team and the design team collectively review the project plans in real time and make any necessary changes along the way — ensuring a quality end product that is as safe and effective as possible. 

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 began in the fall 2023 and will continue until late 2025.