I-25 Southbound Direct Lane to Begin Assessment

CDOT will be implementing a pilot program on southbound I-25 from County Line and past Ridgegate that will create a dedicated “Direct Lane” for thru traffic to use.

Weather permitting, crews will be restriping the left hand lane of southbound I-25 from County Line past Lincoln on the night of Sunday, July 13 and the lane will be operational as a Direct Lane on Monday, July 14. The area will have dedicated striping and signage to help motorists to understand the procedures expected within the lane. This lane is not intended for use by those switching in and out of travel lanes. The assessment period for the Direct Lane will continue until the middle of August. We will be monitoring traffic flow, traffic patterns and whether or not this program saves time and increases traffic flow for motorists traveling through this area.

Signage will direct travelers to the lanes, should they choose to utilize them. These lanes are open for everyone to use. There is no HOV requirement and the lane will remain free of charge. Black signs with yellow lettering will be in place throughout the corridor to inform motorists of the Direct Lane. The lanes will be marked with double white lines to discourage motorists from weaving in and out of the Direct Lane. White signs with black lettering will reiterate that motorists should not cross the double white lines and encourage motorists to remain in the Direct Lane.

Lanes similar to these have seen success in several other states as dedicated thru lanes for traffic not looking to exit for several miles. This pilot program is being implemented in order to test this program along congested roadways in Colorado. The intent is to monitor congestion relief that is expected with traffic traveling more freely in the far left lane. This program will monitor the outcomes of the lane becoming a designated “Direct Lane” and if the program is successful, future lanes similar to this may be considered in other congested areas of the I-25 and other corridors.

CDOT encourages those using this corridor to visit http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/i25sbdirectlane to learn more about this pilot program. We encourage drivers to take part in the survey that is on the project page and provide feedback on the Direct Lanes concept and how the lanes are working.

To receive real-time updates about road conditions in your area, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Information about weekly lane closures will be available at www.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html. Live road conditions are available at www.cotrip.org, downloading the CDOT Mobile app or by calling 511 from anywhere in the state. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and be sure to “Like” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coloradodot.