IS IT DRY GULCH? IS IT LAKEWOOD GULCH? IS IT LAKEWOOD/DRY GULCH?

In past articles, we’ve talked about the gulch area (In Denver between Federal and Sheridan) and the water they carry. But where are Dry Gulch and Lakewood Gulch located and where do they meet at a confluence and continue toward the Platte River?

Dry Gulch begins at roughly 12th Avenue and Yates Street while Lakewood Gulch begins at approximately 9th Avenue and Xavier Street. They both follow their own paths until they merge at 12th Avenue and Perry Street. The confluence of the two (Lakewood/Dry Gulch) continues to approximately 12th Avenue and Newton Street where once again it becomes Lakewood Gulch. Lakewood Gulch then continues eastward to the Platte River. To see a map of the gulches, click here.
 

FEDERAL BRIDGE

Denver Transit Construction Group is now in the first phase of reconstructing the bridge over Lakewood Gulch and the old Denver, Lakewood and Golden Railway at Federal Blvd. This is one of three street bridges that will be rebuilt during construction of the West Corridor. The degeneration of the bridge is visible while driving, but the more serious flaws are in the structure that supports the bridge. Over the years, many of the concrete supports have fallen away, leaving the steel reinforcing bars exposed. Built in 1922 and widened in 1960, the bridge currently carries about 36,000 vehicles per day and is rated as one of the five worst bridges in the Denver metro area, with a rating of 15.5 out of 100.

What can’t be seen by traveling motorists are the many utilities running along the underside of this bridge. Electric, gas, phone and water lines all pass underneath the bridge and will have to be relocated onto the new structure. On most major road construction projects, traffic impacts drive the schedule; but in this case, utility relocations are the driving force. Relocations are tedious and time consuming and actually draw construction of the bridge out longer than would be required to simply build the bridge.

Construction is currently visible on the west side of Federal, as crews have already set some concrete abutments to widen the structure. Once all the abutments are in place, crews will place girders, pour the deck and divert traffic onto the new structure. Then the utility relocations will begin, followed by the demolition of the old bridge. Once it’s demolished, construction on the second half of the bridge will follow. The final phase will be connecting the two sections. Current scheduling indicates construction on this bridge will continue into 2011. The photo below depicts original construction of the bridge in 1922.
 

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES PARTNERSHIP

Students from the Colorado School of Mines are working on the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program. Initiated in 2008, the study is being conducted by the Colorado School of Mines with the participation of roller manufacturers and the Colorado and Minnesota Departments of Transportation. The study, “Development of Soil Stiffness Measuring Device for Pad Food Roller Compactor” is intended to help develop a machine that will “walk out” onto the soil and extract soils of different moisture levels to ensure their proper use. The Colorado School of Mines role is to study soils and develop and analyze field data to refine the model. Denver Transit Construction Group worked with the students to provide soil samples for analysis. If successful, the project will be a significant leap forward to ensure quality during earthwork construction and improve compacting practices resulting in longer pavement life and lower costs.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – AREA 1 (Jeffco Government Center to Denver Federal Center)

Current Activities
Area 1 is currently the most active section of the project. Piers and abutments for the bridges at Colfax Avenue and Indiana Street are visible. Work on these structures will be ongoing for several months. By the end of September, girders will be placed on the light rail bridge over Colfax. Placement of the girders will require a complete weekend closure of Colfax Avenue in the area just west of the 6th Avenue and Colfax interchange. Traffic control measures and warning signs will be placed to move traffic around the construction area and detour routes will be labeled. Crews completed the excavation of a temporary parking lot on the northeast side of the Jefferson County Government Center and electrical installations and pavement activities there are ongoing. Retaining wall construction is apparent near the Golden Cemetery and along 6th Avenue from Indiana east to Union. Utility upgrades and relocations continue just north of the 6th Avenue Frontage Road near the Red Rocks Community College. Work in this location requires lane shifts to the south, but both directions of traffic are still operational.

Upcoming Activities
Work on I-70 is fast approaching; in fact, you may have already noticed the barriers that are now in place on the median between the Colfax and 6th Avenue exits. Current scheduling indicates that work will begin on top of I-70 on September 25, with the initial work being done during that weekend. Work will then continue (eastbound) during night time hours for approximately two months. Eastbound traffic will encounter lane closures from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday until the complete shutdown of I-70 eastbound between the Colfax and 6th Avenue exits. This shutdown is scheduled on the weekend of October 16th and 17th. Crews will then move to the westbound side and continue night time work with lane closures until the complete closure of westbound traffic the weekend of November 6th and 7th. Advanced warning and notification will be visible as the full closures come closer. Once work on top of I-70 is complete, crews will move off of the highway and begin digging out the dirt under I-70 for the light rail tunnel.
 

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE AREA 2 (East of the Denver Federal Center to Sheridan)

Current Activities
Utility relocations continue along the 13th Avenue corridor in Lakewood and work has begun on the drainage culvert just east of Simms on Collins Ave. Piers for the bridge over 6th Avenue at the Denver Federal Center are visible and DTCG’s subcontractor will continue work for several months in this area. Environmental clearance of the properties on the north side of 13th Avenue east of Wadsworth has been completed and demolition of two homes and one commercial building is scheduled to begin this week. Once they are demolished, a construction yard in this area will begin to take shape.

Upcoming Activities
Construction of the light rail bridge over Wadsworth at 13th Avenue will soon be apparent with drill rigs moving in and piers being erected. Traffic on Wadsworth should not be significantly impacted until crews place the girders on the bridge in late 2009 or early 2010. 13th Avenue just east and west of Wadsworth is closed for the duration of construction in the area. Work on drainage culverts on 13th Avenue near Richey Park and at 13th Avenue and Harlan Street should begin in October. Neither activity will significantly impact traffic or neighboring residents until crews get to Carr Street later this year. Carr will be closed at the 13th Avenue intersection for a few weeks to pipe under the roadway for the future culvert. Advanced notification will be given prior to the closure.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE AREA 3 (East of Sheridan to the Auraria Campus)

Current and Ongoing Activities
Retaining wall construction in the Gulch continues from Sheridan to Knox Court. Once the walls at Knox Court are completed, the section of Knox between 12th Avenue and 13th Avenue will reopen. Current scheduling indicates the reopening by year’s end. The Tennyson Pedestrian Bridge is now in place and you can expect to see the pedestrian bridge at Hazel Court by the end of September. Phase one of the work on the Federal Boulevard Bridge continues as more and more piers become visible against the skyline. The relocation of a sewer line under Federal was completed this past weekend. Storm and sanitary sewer relocations and earth work between Sheridan and Decatur will continue in this area for the next several months. The bridge at Lakewood Gulch (just east of Decatur) has not seen any recent activity, but crews are hoping to place the girders in October. Once the girders are set, crews will pour the deck and finalize construction on this bridge. By the end of September, 12th Avenue between Perry and Osceola will be reopened. Crews are just finishing up the new curb, sidewalks and pavement.

For more information on construction please visit the Construction Information page on the West Corridor Web Site. 
 

PHOTO GALLERY

Check out the latest photos!

Visit the West Corridor Photo Gallery on the Web site to see the latest and greatest construction photos. Not only have we added new photos throughout the Web site, we are constantly updating the gallery to feature up to the minute action photos. There are many categories of photos to choose from – so sit back, relax and enjoy the show!
 

HOW CAN I GET (OR STAY) INVOLVED?

One of the best ways to get the latest information on the West Corridor is to ensure we have your e-mail address. Our periodic e-mails will provide you with information essential to being an active participant. As full construction continues for the next two and a half years, it is the best way to stay informed of construction activities. Tell your friends and neighbors to sign up on our e-mail list to receive up-to-date information, and if your e-mail changes, please notify us.

Don’t forget to visit our Web site, where you’ll find all the latest information about the West Corridor.