Trinidad/I-25 Reconstruction

Freeway improvements through the town increase safety and improve access to the historic business district

CDOT has nearly completed the first phase of infrastructure improvements on I-25 through the town of Trinidad.

Trinidad, Colo., 90 miles south of Pueblo and near the New Mexico border, has long been regarded by many drivers as little more than a pit stop on Interstate 25 between Denver and Santa Fe.

But that perception would be wrong. More than 400,000 people visit Trinidad’s town center every year, according to the local chamber of commerce, which also touts the fact that the historic Santa Fe Trail runs through the area. The town has some genuine Old West charm. Trinidad’s town marshal in the 1880s was the legendary Bat Masterson, who hung out there with his pals Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

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And now, it’s improving access to its historic central business district with the completion of the first phase of a freeway reconstruction the city has sought for more than 20 years.

The original I-25 was built through Trinidad in the 1960s, replacing U.S. 85/87 as the primary route through the city between Denver and Albuquerque. Since then, the interstate through town has seen few upgrades. Trinidad’s three main freeway exits were cramped, short and unsafe.

“We needed a better, safer route (on I-25) through town,” says Trinidad City Manager Jim Soltis. “The old interstate presented problems with snow removal, lighting and curvature.”

Also, the second of the town’s three exits was too close to the other two, creating a potentially dangerous merge onto the freeway.

The new spans are unique because they curve at variable depths, starting at 6.5-ft thick on the ends and increasing to 9.5-ft thick in the middle. Contractor Lawrence Construction is completing the northbound phase of the project on schedule later this month. (Photo courtesy of CDOT)

The Colorado Dept. of Transportation began a reconstruction of the outdated northbound portion of I-25 through Trinidad in February 2007. Lawrence Construction Co. of Littleton won the $37-million contract. The reconstruction softens the curvature of the highway, widens the shoulders, improves two interchanges and eliminates the third one. Access to the city of Trinidad has also been improved, and the project adds aesthetic and architectural details that complement the historic downtown.

The northbound phase, which will be complete later this month, reconstructs four miles of I-25 from Van Buren Street to Goddard Avenue, including the viaduct, mainline bridges over the Purgatoire River and Main Street and the entrance and exit ramps at the Main and Commercial street interchanges. The project includes excavation work, asphalt paving, new guardrails, lighting, other utility improvements, landscaping, signing and striping.

“We also cut the number of piers for the viaduct in half, from 25 to 14,” says Dave Morris, project manager for Lawrence. “That opened everything up, giving people better views from both sides of the road.”

The reconstruction of Interstate 25 softens the curvature of the highway, widens the shoulders, improves two of the town’s interchanges and eliminates the third one. (Photo courtesy of CDOT)

For the new spans, Lawrence used precast, post-tensioned tub girders prefabricated at Littleton’s Plum Creek Structures. The shortest is 128 ft long, with a 252-ft span over the railroad tracks. “These spans are unique because they’re curved with variable depths, starting at 6.5 ft thick and going up to 9.5 ft thick in the middle,” Morris says. “I’ve never seen anything like them.”

The new spans also significantly raise the freeway clearances through town. The old structures allowed for only a 15- to 16-ft clearance. The new spans increase that by 8 or 9 ft, Morris says.

The segmental design came from Denver’s TSH Engineers, working with CDOT Project Engineer Lowell Lester. “The interchanges are larger, wider and safer,” Lester says. “It will also allow the city to do some new things with the areas near the bridges. This went well. Everything fell into place.”

Littleton’s Plum Creek Structures prefabricated the post-tensioned tub girders for the new spans. The shortest is 128 ft long, with a 252-ft span over the railroad tracks. (Photo courtesy of CDOT)

“We’re very happy to have this first part done,” says Trinidad Mayor Joseph Reorda. “We waited for this forever and we’re hoping it will have a big impact on our town.”

The $40-million second phase of the project, which starts later this summer, will reconstruct southbound I-25 through Trinidad. Similar to the northbound portion, it will soften the highway curvature, widen shoulders and upgrade the interchanges, with improved access to Trinidad. It is scheduled for completion in summer 2011, but the funding could be tight.

“We’re hoping CDOT can garner the funds to make it a complete project,” Soltis says.

Project Team

Owner Colorado Dept. of Transportation
Engineer TSH, Denver
Contractor Lawrence Construction Co., Littleton
Start Feb. 2007
Finish July 2009