Town approves U.S. Highway 85 overpass option
By Elizabeth Wood West with aerial map provided by Town of Castle Rock
The Town of Castle Rock’s council members voted unanimously to adopt an overpass option that will provide a second access for northbound traffic from The Meadows development onto U.S. Highway 85 in Castle Rock.
The overpass option is part of the Town’s North Meadows Extension (NME), a multi-million dollar roadway project designed to help relieve traffic congestion along Founders/Meadows Parkway at the U.S. Highway 85 and I-25 intersections, and improve traffic operations at I-25’s on/off ramps.
The proposed second access from The Meadows faced the challenge of crossing Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s railroad tracks near Castleview High School. Town Engineering Manager Dan Sailer said the overpass option was more advantageous and much less complicated than the underpass option, which would have included storm drainage issues and the temporary relocation of the railroad tracks. Most importantly, the overpass option will cost approximately $2.5 million dollars less than the underpass option.
However, the overpass option will bring traffic and street lighting glare and noise impacts to the residential area in the immediate vicinity of the crossing. As a condition of the Town’s approval, a noise wall will be installed along the residential areas, and landscaping concepts will be developed to mitigate light glare. The overall cost for this phase of the NME will be approximately $35 – $36 million dollars.
Sailer said, “The Town’s design consultant will move forward with incorporating the overpass option into the design plans. Landscaping concepts are part of the design process and occur toward the end of the design period near the end of this year.
The current construction schedule is planned to start in early 2013 and be completed with Phase I (one travel lane in each direction) by the end of 2015,” he said. “The Town is utilizing a method known as CM/GC, which brings the construction contractor on-board during the design phase to utilize their expertise in construction in assisting the Town and designer with producing the most efficient and cost-effective design plans for the project. This method is useful on projects that have a higher degree of complexity, like this project has, with numerous bridges, multiple rail crossings, and a creek crossing,” added Sailer.
For further information, contact Dan Sailer, at dsailer@crgov.com.
