June 30, 2008
I-70 VAIL RESURFACING NIGHT CREWS ON TARGET
Comments on progress largely positive
EAGLE COUNTY - The nighttime I-70 Vail Overlay Project is on schedule and progressing without incident since construction began on May 27th. The resurfacing and safety-improvement work between Dowd Junction and the East Vail is slated for completion by mid-September, weather pending.
"It seems construction has been going very well, and traffic is certainly smoother this summer," said Vail Mayor Dick Cleveland. "I'm very pleased with CDOT’s responses to our concerns regarding last year’s construction."
Colorado Department of Transportation and A&S Construction Company crews have been working from 6:30 PM to 6:30 AM, Sunday through Thursday nights, to minimize impacts to the traveling public and the surrounding communities. As with any project, but particularly those with night work, safety is a primary concern.
To date, project and traffic safety have been well maintained, as crews work to replace center concrete barrier (approximately 10,000 feet of the higher “glare screen” has been placed) and prepare to begin the first phase of paving next week.
“The traffic at night seems to thin out between 11 PM and midnight,” CDOT Construction Manager Greg Fowles said. “We’ve not seen any back-ups at the work zones, just some traffic slowing—and we are very appreciative of motorists who drive slowly and cautiously through the area.”
Typically, motorists are encountering three or four work zones through the project and crews right now are working primarily on the east end (widening for the new chain down station) and on the west end (barrier work in Dowd Canyon). The paving operations are not expected to alter the minor delays that nighttime traffic is now experiencing.
“Our Construction Manager Greg Fowles, A&S Superintendent Garland Duke and their crews should be recognized for their hard work, particularly with this challenging schedule,” CDOT Resident Engineer Martha Miller said. “They’re accommodating the traveling public, while balancing that with safety and the quality of the work—we applaud their efforts.”
Weekly ads continue to run in the Vail Daily, detailing project schedules and/or public meetings. The public may also log on to the project’s web page at http://www.dot.state.co.us/I70VailOverlay or call the project hotline at 970-476-4024.
“We’ve received very few calls to date—I’m assuming that’s a good indication of how smoothly the work has been going,” said Gary Suiter of Suiter & Associates, public information manager for the project. “We certainly continue to welcome feedback from the public and area businesses.”
# # #