The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and contractor Kraemer North America will close North 71st Street at the intersection with CO 119/Diagonal Highway for two days as part of ongoing safety and mobility improvements. The closure is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15, and Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
During these hours, North 71st Street between Monarch Road (south of the business park) and CO 119/Diagonal Highway will be closed to all vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. However, access to the business park on 71st Street will remain open.
Travelers heading southbound on 71st Street are advised to use Monarch Road eastbound to reach southbound CO 119. Businesses can continue to access their properties via Monarch Road north of the intersection at CO 119/Diagonal Highway.
The closure is necessary for crews to install light poles as part of the broader CO 119 Safety, Mobility and Bikeway Improvements Project. CDOT asks travelers to exercise caution in the work zone and follow posted detour signs. Work schedules may change depending on conditions.
According to CDOT projections, vehicular traffic along Diagonal Highway between Boulder and Longmont is expected to increase by about a quarter by the year 2040. This anticipated growth could lead to greater congestion, delays, emissions from vehicles, and potentially more crashes.
The project aims to enhance safety throughout the corridor while improving mobility for all users—including drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders—and increasing operational efficiency at intersections such as Jay Road, 63rd Street, Colorado Highway 52, Niwot Road, and Airport Road. Planned improvements include new signage and striping at pedestrian crossings; signal timing adjustments; construction of a commuter bikeway with connections between northbound and southbound lanes; underpasses or overpasses at major intersections; reconfiguration of the CO 52 intersection for better safety; new Bus Rapid Transit stations; changes at Airport Road designed to reduce crashes; and improved connectivity within the bicycle and pedestrian network.
Throughout construction on CO 119/Diagonal Highway, most existing configurations will remain in place but lane shifts or closures may occur periodically. Lane widths will be reduced during certain phases of work and speed limits lowered accordingly.
Kraemer North America serves as general contractor for this project.
For further information or updates regarding closures or detours during construction:
– Project hotline: 720-378-8083
– Project email: [email protected]
– Project website: codot.gov/projects/co119-mobility
Weekly project updates are available through sign-up on the project website.
