The C-470/Alameda Interchange opened this afternoon, June 26, ahead of schedule. The full movement interchange will establish an important transportation element in the area by providing an alternate access route to the US 6/Union/Simms and C-470/Morrison interchanges, which currently serve the Lakewood area, particularly Green Mountain. The new interchange also will provide unprecedented access between C-470 and the north end of the Rooney Valley, which is the home of Solterra – a new, master-planned community being developed by Carma. Solterra is hosting the 2008 Parade of Homes July 26- September 1.

Contemplated since the inception of C-470, the Alameda Interchange finally came to fruition last year through the collaboration among Jefferson County, the City of Lakewood, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Green Tree Metropolitan District. These entities coordinated the funding to construct the interchange, for which an Environmental Assessment was completed in 1999 with a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

The EA findings included a recommendation to close Alameda Avenue west of C-470, over the Hogback, assisting the preservation of Dinosaur Ridge paleontological elements and increasing safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. This decision was made jointly by Jefferson County, the City of Lakewood and CDOT, and was validated through the EA process.

Credit for the successful, timely completion of the Alameda Interchange construction project largely goes to Felsburg Holt & Ullevig, project engineer, led by project manager Tom Nead, and SEMA Construction, Inc., general contractor, led by project manager Jud Barlow.

For more information, www.lakewood-colorado.org or www.c470alameda.com.