144 th Avenue Underpass

Due to the commercial and residential development in the cities of Westminster and Thorton, the Colorado Department of Transportation proposed to widen I-25 heading north from Denver. The neighboring cities decided to construct two new interchanges and bridges at 136th and 144th Avenues that would allow traffic access to the four quadrants of the interchanges without having to get back on to the major roads.

Part of the project included an upgrade at 144th Avenue. A four-lane road with a landscaped median was proposed to accommodate the high volume of traffic using I-25. Two underpass structures were designed to support local roads on either side of the interstate and to allow pedestrian and vehicular traffic to pass uninterrupted beneath 144th Avenue.

Quality control and aesthetic appearance were the main concerns of the city. After comparing castin- place structures with several precast bridge systems, Felsburg Holt & Ullevig determined a CON/ SPAN^® precast arch structure was their best option. The CON/SPAN structure was installed easily and provided the look the city desired.

“The bridge structure was selected because of its cost effectiveness,” said Dave Loseman, Project Manager from the City of Westminster. “The CON/SPAN also fit in very well with the aesthetic design of the entire project.”