Officials nervous but confident over shutdown of I-25

By April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 28, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

Text size  

• 2 Comments
• Email
• Print

Sen. Barack Obama will give his speech at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Denver commuters and city and state highway officials face their biggest challenge tonight when Colorado's busiest highway is closed at the height of afternoon rush hour.

"We're definitely concerned about the closure," said Stacey Stegman, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation. "There are a lot of motorists who travel I-25 that might not get the message about detour routes.

"We are planning for the worst, but hoping for the best," she said.

So far, the Democratic National Convention and Denver drivers have coexisted peacefully. Outside of downtown streets sporadically closed for protesters, traffic has moved smoothly the last three days.

But closing Interstate 25 poses a much different dilemma that could impact streets and neighborhoods throughout much of central Denver.

The Secret Service security plan will shut down a 51/2-mile stretch of the highway at about 5:30 p.m. and will reopen it when the event is over after 9 p.m.

Sen. Barack Obama is expected to speak at about 8 p.m. to a crowd of 75,000 - many of them from the metro area.

I-25 will be closed southbound from Interstate 70 at the Mousetrap to Sixth Avenue.

Northbound, it will be closed at Sixth Avenue. Once past Invesco Field, I-25 will remain open north of Speer Boulevard since that stretch doesn't present a threat to the stadium.

It's no small task closing the interstate. It takes about two hours to shut down the highway and about one hour to reopen it, officials said.

Usually, about 11,000 vehicles an hour travel that segment of I-25 past Invesco Field at the peak of daily rush hour, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m., Stegman said.

Tonight, that traffic will be diverted to alternate southbound and northbound streets. Farther away from downtown, motorists will be sent to different interstate routes and streets, including C-470, I-70, I-225, Santa Fe Drive, University Boulevard and Downing and Lincoln streets.

"There is definitely a potential increase for traffic congestion and delays with any big event we do," said Ann Williams, spokeswoman for Denver's Public Works. "We are confident the grid system can handle all the traffic being diverted."

Residents in the Jefferson Park neighborhood, which sits near Invesco west of Federal Boulevard, are bracing for traffic cutting through their residential streets and hordes of people parking illegally in front of their homes.

"There is concern about the impact," said Barbara Baker, president of the neighborhood association. "We have two exits off I-25 - 23rd Street and Speer Boulevard - so we expect to have some issues. We're looking for the city and the police to handle it."

Others called the closing of I-25 for such a monumental event "no big deal," noting that the stadium's neighbors are used to similar disruptions on any given Sunday when the Broncos are at home.

"I'm not bothered by it at all. It's no different than a Bronco game," said Meredith Greager, 27, who lives along Irving Street near Invesco. "I think it is worth it. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event."

Still, city officials met with neighborhood leaders this week to allay concerns, saying residential parking restrictions enforced during Broncos games will be in effect tonight, Williams said.

Anyone parking in surrounding neighborhoods will be required to have a permit or face fines and towing fees up to $300.

The city is encouraging spectators to take the free RTD shuttles running to Invesco from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Obama's much-anticipated speech is the city's biggest logistical challenge of the week after three days of smooth traffic. So far, the city has received a helping hand from businesses and commuters.

Many businesses allowed their employees to work flexible hours to avoid the busiest hours of DNC activity, and commuters have changed their traveling habits to ease the pressures on the roadways, said Tamara Door president of the Downtown Denver Partnership, a civic business group.

More than 1,200 people took the partnership's $100 challenge and committed to riding the bus or light-rail. Others have worked from home or walked or biked to work.

On the state highways leading into downtown, traffic is down roughly 8 percent, Stegman said.

"The type of traffic we're seeing is what you will see on the weekends," she said. "We've seen heavier traffic during rush hour, but it's not at the levels it usually is," she said.

washingtonam@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5086

The closures

* Southbound Interstate 25 from Interstate 70 to Sixth Avenue will be closed from 5:30 p.m. until the end of tonight's activities at Invesco Field. Commuters heading south from downtown will be able to access the highway at Sixth Avenue.

* Northbound Interstate 25 will be closed in front of Invesco Field but will be open north of Speer, so commuters from downtown may still use Speer, 20th Street or Park Avenue to get to I-25.

* West Colfax Avenue will remain open during morning rush hour but will be closed from Mariposa Street to Federal Boulevard beginning at 9 a.m. today. Westbound Colfax will be detoured to Kalamath Street. Eastbound Colfax will be detoured at southbound Federal Boulevard.

Alternate routes

* To get out of downtown tonight, state officials recommend using Kalamath Street, Broadway, University and Colorado boulevards and Corona and Downing streets to get to southbound I-25, and Park Avenue West or 20th Street to get to northbound I-25.

* To head north or south, the state suggests using Alameda or Hampden avenues and Sheridan Boulevard to hook up with Interstate 76 or to circumnavigate the whole area by using C-470 or I-225.

• August 28, 2008

  1:02 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  danirobi writes:

  in other words this is going to be one huge CF!

• August 28, 2008

  4:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  HopiMedicineMan writes:

  ...an obamanation.

Featured

• Legislature Blog

  

  Read live updates from the opening of the 2009 legislative session.

• Rocky multimedia

  

  The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on what's happening today.

• Who's next?

  

  Complete coverage of the Broncos' search for a new coach.

• Rocky year in photos

  

  View an audio slide show of staff selections from 2008.

• Winter Escapes

  

  Your insider’s guide to the copious joys of the coolest season.

• Sam Adams' Open Mic

  

  Open Mic: Two-man advantage with Avs

• Shanahan's career

  

  See photos from Mike Shanahan's career as Broncos coach.

• 12 days of Drew

  

  Look back at the year that has been with Drew Litton.

• A dream fulfilled

  

  A Rocky Mountain News and MediaStorm production