North Meadows Extension at U.S. Highway 85 interchange update
New on/off ramps are being constructed just north of Founders/Meadows Parkway and I-25 in Castle Rock. Detours allow traffic to continue to flow during construction.
By Elizabeth Wood West; photos courtesy of the Town of Castle Rock
If you travel along southbound I-25 and/or U.S. Highway 85 to Castle Rock, you have probably noticed how far along the construction for the Town of Castle Rock’s (Town) North Meadows Extension (NME) roadway project has come.
The NME project is a long-term, multi-million dollar roadway project, located just north and west of Castle Rock. The overall plan is to provide a secondary access for The Meadows development to U.S. Highway 85, and to help relieve traffic congestion and improve traffic flow along Founders and Meadows Parkway at the U.S. Highway 85 and I-25 intersections.
According to Town senior community relations specialist Caroline Kipp, crews along U.S. Highway 85 are working to construct a new interchange using foundational retaining structures (caissons). The caissons are being drilled as deep as 90 feet into the ground and columns for the on/off-ramps are starting to take shape.
In March, crews began placing 27 concrete bridge support structures (girders) for the southbound off-ramp. Overnight road closures will continue to be necessary in this area of U.S. Highway 85 during the next six months, as crews place girders for the interchange’s other bridges and pour concrete.
Kipp said, “In all, more than 145 girders will be used to complete this interchange. If laid end-to-end, they would span 53 football fields. In addition, 8,640 cubic yards of concrete will be necessary – that’s 864 Ready Mix concrete trucks’ worth.”
Although the project’s construction and road closure schedule is subject to Colorado’s ever-changing weather, Town officials are confident that the entire project will remain on schedule and open in the summer of 2016.
Kipp encourages the public to check area message signs, visit the Town’s social media (Facebook.com/CRgov or @CRgov on Twitter), sign up online for updates from the Town at CRgov.com/notifyme, or visit CRgov.com/NME.
