Come this June, a 16-month project will begin to replace the 72nd Avenue and Raleigh Street bridge in Westminster. The project will also include the replacement of multiple utilities in the surrounding area.

The $5 million project is being funded in part through a federal grant of $1.8 million to go toward the replacement of the bridge along with $460,850 in matching city funds for the bridge replacement. The remaining cost of roughly $2.3 million, for the replacement of the utilities, is being funding by the city through the General Capitol Improvement Fund and the Utilities Fund.

With a sufficiency rating of 8 out of 100 points, the bridge is in a replacement category allowing for federal funds through the Colorado Off-System Bridge program. Dave Loseman, city senior projects engineer, said the city decided to go ahead and replace area utilities at the same to tie into the bridge replacement project.

“It’s kind of like a domino effect. If we have to construct a new bridge, we should go ahead and construct new utilities too because we are already doing work in the area,” he said. “You don’t want to build a new road and then dig up the road again to fix utilities later on.”

More specifically, the concrete box culvert that carries 72nd Avenue and Raleigh Street over Little Dry Creek is being replaced. As for the utilities, about 2,100 feet of larger diameter sanitary sewer pipe and 3,200 feet of water line will be replaced during the project. The entire project extends along 72nd Avenue from approximately Stuart Street to Bradburn Boulevard and along Raleigh Street south of 72nd Avenue.

The 72nd and Raleigh intersection is also being designed to receive a new north leg in the form of a future realigned Bradburn Boulevard. Currently Bradburn Boulevard intersects 72nd Avenue a short 200 feet east of Raleigh Street, causing operational problems and traffic safety concerns. Because of the bridge replacement, the future construction of the realignment of Bradburn Boulevard will be made simpler.

Loseman said because of the extent of the bridge replacement project and the intersection re-design, the 72nd and Raleigh intersection will be closed for about six months to accomplish an efficient project timeline.

“By closing down 72nd Avenue in that area, we are saving months of construction time. What could have been a 22-month project, is now a 16-month project,” he said. “It saves us a substantial amount of time on the duration of the project.”

Loseman said traffic will be detoured around the area and flyers will be sent to residents and businesses in the area in advance informing them of the project and traffic changes. He said the city has already coordinated with Adams County School District 50 to ensure bus routes will have appropriate access in and out of the area.

“We understand there will be some inconvenience to residents, but the project has to be done because that bridge has to be replaced for safety reasons,” Loseman said.

Prior to construction and throughout the duration of the project, information will be available to the public on a city website.