Local road construction, closures, and detours

Local commuters and residents continue to feel the pain of simultaneous road closures associated not just with the CO 119 Safety, Mobility & Bikeway Project, but also with the additional Boulder County infrastructure work, including a sewage line replacement on 95th Street and two water line replacements at 63rd Street which also impact Jay Road.

The latest closure that currently appears on the CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) website will occur on the Jay Road median that crosses between the northbound and southbound CO 119/Diagonal Highway from Friday Feb. 28 to March 10. This closure will affect all modes of transportation including car, bike and pedestrian.

At CO 119, Jay Road will become a "right-in-right-out" intersection, according to CDOT. This means that no traffic will be able to cross CO 119 at Jay Road. Instead, from Jay Road, in either direction, all transportation will only be allowed to turn right onto the highway.

This closure is reportedly required for crews to install a bikeway underpass at Jay Road. Separate detours for motorists and cyclists are required. (See accompanying photo.)

The detours for motorists are as follows:

• Westbound Jay Road traffic will travel north on CO 119, exit onto 63rd Street and turn back onto southbound CO 119 to return to westbound Jay Road.

• Eastbound Jay Road traffic will travel south on CO 119, keep right at the Colorado Highway 157 intersection, and turn left onto northbound CO 119 to return to Jay Road.

The detours for cyclists are as follows:

• Westbound cyclists will turn left onto 57th Street, turn right on Independence Road, turn left onto southbound CO 119, and turn right onto 47th Street to return to Jay Road.

• Eastbound cyclists will turn right onto 47th Street, make a sharp left onto northbound CO 119, turn right onto Independence Road, and left onto 57th Street to return to Jay Road.

CDOT continues to assure the public that these closures are necessary and that the resulting efforts will be worth the current discomfort that will continue until the project completion, which is expected to be accomplished in May of 2027.

CDOT reports that these benefits include:

• Improved safety along the whole CO 119 corridor.

• Maximization of the number of people able to move through the corridor.

• Maximized intersection operational efficiency.

• Improved transit travel times with the goal of increased ridership to reduce the number of cars on the road.

• Maximized corridor-wide operational efficiency.

• Increased opportunities for bicycle commuting and connectivity to the bicycle and pedestrian network again to reduce the number of cars on the road.

• Vehicles enabled to move through the corridor faster, with shorter wait times at traffic lights, resulting in fewer fender benders and crashes.

• Traveling the corridor by bus will take about half the time it currently does.

• More frequent bus service supports greater travel flexibility.

• Safer and more comfortable experience accessing the corridor on foot.

• Integration between Bus Rapid Transit, Park-n-Rides, pedestrian crossings, and Boulder County's Commuter Bikeway enables commuters to switch travel modes safely and reliably.

CDOT also requests the public's help to ensure the safety of the construction and its workers as well as reducing the risk of increased accidents by "slowing for the cone."

To ensure more safety for motorists and construction workers they ask that drivers:

• Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

• Stay Alert. Expect the unexpected.

• Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

• Don't change lanes unnecessarily.

• Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

• Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

• Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

• Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

• Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

• Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.

• Be patient.