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Governor Polis Welcomes Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to Colorado, Discusses Floyd Hill Infrastructure Improvement Progress

Government and Politics

April 16, 2024

From: Colorado Governor Jared Polis

Floyd Hill project will reduce traffic, save Coloradans time on the road, and improve safety

EVERGREEN - On April 16, 2024 Governor Polis and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited the construction progress at Floyd Hill between Evergreen and Idaho Springs.

“Traveling into the mountains, whether to hike, kayak, ski, visit family, or explore our great communities, is an important part of the Colorado way of life. These improvements will help create easier access to our beautiful high country and I thank Secretary Buttigieg and the Biden Administration for their continued partnership on this important effort,” said Governor Polis.

“Floyd Hill is a challenging section of I-70 to drive, but CDOT’s team is making good progress on thoughtful improvements to make travel through this area smoother and safer. Combined with our expanded transit investments, including the Pegasus service along this stretch of I-70, Coloradans will have better travel options to access the mountains and all there is to enjoy there,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.

Governor Polis, joined by Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, and Representative Neguse, announced Floyd Hill’s groundbreaking in October 2022. This was made possible by state and federal investments including a $100 million grant from the Biden administration.

The project, included in the Polis administration’s 10-Year Vision Plan, will add a new westbound lane to reduce traffic, minimize congestion and provide Coloradans with easier travel into Colorado’s iconic Rocky Mountains. Other improvements include

- Rebuilding highly used bridges

- Create a frontage road to improve emergency response 

- Extend the on-ramp from US 6 to allow for safer merging 

- Improve roadway curves that create dangerously short lines of sight for drivers

Improvements to Floyd Hill will ensure that Coloradans, and the many goods moving through the I-70 corridor, can travel from the front range to the mountain areas safely, more quickly, and with less traffic and congestion.