The Weld County 38 bridge over Interstate 25 is set to reopen on November 7, nearly a month ahead of the original schedule. The closure was expected to last through December, but project crews completed work earlier than planned.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) closed the WCR 38 bridge in June as part of the I-25 North Express Lanes Project, which runs from Mead to Berthoud. During this time, crews demolished the old bridge, built in 1960, and constructed a new one. The replacement was needed for safety reasons and to increase traffic capacity, as well as to accommodate the widened section of I-25.
Work included building a new eight-foot-wide sidewalk on the bridge to support multimodal connections across I-25 and connecting the new structure with existing roadways. CDOT stated that finishing this part of the project allowed funds to be invested in other areas and saved taxpayers money.
“Completing the reconstruction of this bridge is a major milestone, bringing the project one step closer to the finish line for a safer, more efficient I-25 North corridor,” according to CDOT.
This segment is part of about 20 miles of improvements made on I-25 between Berthoud and Fort Collins over six years. The current six-mile project extends from Colorado Highway 66 in Mead northward and connects with recently finished portions near CO 56 in Berthoud. When complete in 2028, it will mark the first time there are more than two lanes each way on I-25 between Denver and Fort Collins.
Travelers can find updates at https://www.codot.gov/projects/north-i-25.
