The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently celebrated the completion of the $10 million CO 94 safety improvements project.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Blaney Road and CO 94 on Thursday and included CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew, elected officials and representatives from the Federal Highway Administration and area military installations.
“When we began the ten-year planning process about four years ago, this stretch of CO 94 was one of the first areas of concern raised to us by a community — it made an impression on CDOT that our defense partners had struggled to garner attention for a modest sized project like this one,” Lew said. “Seeing it fixed today is an example of the ten-year plan having impact.”
Improvements include an eastbound turn lane between North Franceville Coal Mine Road and Blaney Road, a one-mile passing lane on westbound CO 94 at mile point 5.5, and a signalized intersection at Blaney Road.
Daytime traffic on eastbound 94 experienced congestion and frequent crashes prior to the project from a high volume of slow-moving heavy vehicles traveling to the Waste Management Landfill, limited opportunities for passing, and steep grades.
Heavy vehicles lined up in the left passing lane of eastbound CO 94 more than a mile before the turn off to the landfill.