County road 80 and 37 improvement project underway
Published on January 24, 2022
Those traveling north of Eaton can look forward to safety improvements coming to the intersection of Weld County Road (WCR) 37 and 80 that will provide safer and more efficient access to a key road connecting to Highway 85. The project comes after 2020 Union Pacific Railroad crossing closures along the highway at WCR 37 and WCR 78.
“When those railroad crossings were closed, people along Weld County Road 37 and 78 had to take an alternate route to get to and from Highway 85,” Weld County Commissioner Chair Scott James said. “Anytime a road is closed you can anticipate it will inconvenience residents in the area. Therefore, we applied for grant funds to ensure improvements occur on new routes drivers utilize to access the highway. County road 80 is a road we anticipate more drivers using as a result of the railroad closures, and the improvements planned at the intersection strive to meet the demand of the traveling public.”
During the intersection project, which is anticipated to be completed in June of this year, drivers are asked to be aware of closures, the first of which is from WCR 37 west on WCR 80 to Highway 85. The closure, approved January 12 by the Board of Commissioners, is anticipated to last from January 17-April 30. During this time, work will be done to demolish an existing bridge and construct a new one directly west of the intersection at WCR 37 and 80. The detour routes for the WCR 80 closure include WCR 37 north to Highway 14, WCR 80 east to WCR 80.5 to WCR 39, or WCR 78 east to WCR 39.
While the first phase of improvements includes the bridge demolition, there are several other improvements identified for the intersection including reconstruction of the intersection at WCR 37 and 80, leveling out WCR 80 on the east and west sides of WCR 37, raising the intersection to eliminate steepness and sight distance issues and installing a left turn lane on WCR 80, which will provide more space for trucks turning north onto WCR 37. There are also plans to complete dirt work along WCR 37 and pave WCR 80 west from WCR 37 to Highway 85 in late May or early June. Additional closures are expected when that work begins and will be announced, along with detour routes, once approved by the Board of Commissioners.
On December 20, the board approved the project contract for a total not to exceed $5,368,771.65, awarding it to Structures Inc. Additionally, the county received a $1 million partnership grant from the Department of Local Affairs, which will assist with funding construction. Public Works oversaw the project design, right of way acquisition and utility relocation and will have a full-time construction manager and inspector on site to ensure the project is completed on time, on budget and according to county specifications.
For more about the Department of Public Works, as well as a list of county road closures, visit the Public Works department webpage at www.weldgov.com.