Construction on North Meadows Extension
View looking north on North Meadows Drive
Information provided by The Town of Castle Rock
The Town of Castle Rock and its partners are ready to break ground on the Town’s number one priority (and largest ever) transportation project – the North Meadows Extension from The Meadows to U.S. Highway 85 and I-25.
The Town has been set to begin construction all year, but has been waiting on some final approvals. On October 22, Town Council approved the $2.36 million contract to start construction – an exciting milestone for the project. Edward Kraemer & Sons Inc. is the construction management/general contractor.
“We are thrilled that the day is here that we will see earth moving on this project, after years of preparation and hard work by many,” Mayor Paul Donahue said. “This is truly a historic milestone for the Town of Castle Rock.”
The work approved will ready the ground and move utilities near the high school to make way for an eventual bridge over the BNSF Railway line in the area. Another contract to complete all parts of the project west of the East Plum Creek is expected to be brought forth by the year’s end.
Subsequent phases will build new interchanges at U.S. 85 and Castlegate Drive and at I-25. The project is expected to cost about $68 million to construct, not including land-acquisition costs.
The full road is expected to open to traffic near the end of 2015. It is needed to provide a second northern access for The Meadows and to relieve traffic congestion along Meadows Parkway, including at I-25.
“We share our excitement with the community about this project,” said Town Public Works Director Bob Goebel. “It is an important part of our effort to improve traffic conditions in northern Castle Rock.”
The project has been worked on since voters approved the Transportation Action Plan bond issue in 2005. The original proposal was to build a road from The Meadows to U.S. 85 only. The project was expanded to include a new interchange with I-25 due to regional transportation concerns.
Twenty million dollars in voter-approved TAP bonds will be used to fund the project, along with monies from the Town’s transportation fund, Douglas County, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and Castle Rock Development Co., the developer of The Meadows.
To learn more, visit www.crgov.com/nme.
