Corridor History

As the primary route between Northern Colorado and the Denver metropolitan area, the I-25 corridor has experienced considerable growth over the years. People are increasingly aware that demands on the existing transportation system are exceeding its ability to serve travelers efficiently. Along with increased traffic volume on I-25 and parallel roadways has come an increase in accidents, resulting in a need to plan for transportation improvements within the corridor.

In 1993, CDOT initiated an “Environmental Assessment” (EA) for improvements to enhance the capacity and safety of I-25 between SH 7 and SH 66. The EA was followed by a "Finding of No Significant Impact" in 1995 that enabled CDOT to proceed with a series of construction projects that are ongoing. The current construction activities between SH 7 and Weld County Road 16 were addressed in the EA. Also addressed were the right-of-way acquisitions and utility relocations currently underway between Weld County Road 16 and SH 66. These are being done in anticipation of future construction.

In the late 1990s, CDOT, in conjunction with regional planning groups (North Transportation and Air Quality Planning Council, Upper Front Range Regional Planning Commission, and Denver Regional Council of Governments), undertook the North Front Range Transportation Alternatives Feasibility Study (TAFS) to evaluate an extensive range of alternative highway improvements, bus-transit alternatives, passenger-rail alternatives, and travel demand management programs from SH 7 to SH 14. This study, published in March 2000, produced a Vision Plan that included inter-regional bus service, combination general purpose/high-occupancy vehicle lanes, and passenger-rail service.

More recently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with CDOT, prepared the Final EIS to identify and evaluate multi-modal transportation improvements along the I-25 corridor extending from Denver to Wellington. The Final EIS was released for public review in August 2011, and corridor-wide public hearings were held during September 2011 to collect public input during a 45-day comment period. In December 2011, FHWA signed the North I-25 Record of Decision (ROD), which completed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the North I-25 EIS. The completion of the NEPA process establishes planning guidelines for growth in segments of this corridor, addressing both land use and transportation issues.