Highline Canal

This is great news for all of the Highline Canal pedestrians and riders. This has been a very inconvenient crossing for many years. Now a cure seems in sight! This seems like money well spent.

Construction begins Dec. 1 on Iliff Avenue at the High Line Canal
Motorists can expect traffic delays during High Line Canal at Iliff Underpass construction

Denver, CO — On Dec. 1, construction will begin at the intersection of Iliff Avenue and High Line Canal Trail in Denver as Arapahoe County starts work on a trail underpass. From Dec. 1-4, severe congestion will occur when Iliff Avenue is reduced to one lane in each direction, 24 hours per day, to allow for the removal of the median. Currently, when trail-users on the High Line Canal Trail reach Iliff Avenue, they must cross at-grade, meaning they must compete with the traffic to cross the roadway. This has created safety concerns for both trail users and vehicular traffic.

To address the issue, Arapahoe County has partnered with the Colorado Department of Transportation, Denver Water and the City and County of Denver to install a trail underpass that will allow users of the High Line Canal Trail to cross safely under Iliff Avenue in unincorporated Arapahoe County. As part of the project, sidewalks will be extended over the High Line Canal on the south side of Iliff.

“Once complete, the new trail underpass will allow pedestrians and cyclists to travel under Iliff Avenue, instead of fighting traffic when they attempt to cross the major roadway,” said Arapahoe County Commissioner Nancy Jackson. “Traffic flow will be smoother, as motorists will no longer need to stop to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists crossing Iliff Avenue.”

Lawrence Construction has been selected to complete the project, which is scheduled to take six months. Because traffic delays and congestion on Iliff Avenue will be significant during this time and will include temporary lane or road closures or restrictions during key construction phases, alternate routes or travel schedules are advised.

The County encourages residents to consider carpooling, using public transit, varying travel schedules or using alternate routes during this period. Project personnel are working diligently to minimize the impacts on traffic, but congestion is anticipated to be substantial. The County would like to thank residents in advance for their patience and understanding during this time.

Additional information on the project can be found on Arapahoe County’s web site at http://bit.ly/IliffProject. Sign up to receive weekly e-mail updates by sending your name, address and e-mail address to Iliff.Highline@gmail.com, call 303-419-3301 with any questions and/or follow Arapahoe County on Twitter for project announcements.

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