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I-70 Eagle Airport Interchange Feasibility Project

Staff Contact: Matt Figgs

Project History

Map of Gypsum/I-70 Interchange project with segments, highways, Eagle Airport, and traffic reduction details.

The need for the project was first identified by state, regional, and local transportation planning agencies in 1986. Led by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Eagle County, after progressing through an Interchange Concept Study and Environmental Assessment (EA), a preferred alternative was selected, which called for the construction of a new I-70 interchange at approximately milepost (MP) 143, between the towns of Gypsum (MP 140) and Eagle (MP 147). The project included a new four-lane connector road that extended south from the interchange to connect with Cooley Mesa Road, crossing over Highway 6 and the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) track. The connector road was proposed to comprise mostly of a 2,100-foot-long bridge structure that spanned over the Eagle River, Highway 6, and the UPRR line. An engineering design was completed for the project in 2010, right-of-way (ROW) was acquired, and officials applied for grants to fund the project. Still, construction funding was never received, leading to the project being shelved.

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Project Restart

In 2024, the Gypsum’s Town Council authorized the restart of the project and for Gypsum to take over as the lead agency. Gypsum’s recently completed Master Traffic Study showed the benefits of constructing the interchange due to the projected growth in vehicle and airport traffic that is expected in the next 20-years.

Why is this project needed?

There are several benefits to constructing a new I-70 interchange between Gypsum and Eagle:

  • Provide reliable exit route for Gypsum and Eagle in case of wildfire or flooding emergency (Community Resiliency)
  • Increase traffic capacity along I-70 as Eagle and Gypsum are expected to grow significantly over the next 20 years (System Reliability)
  • Alleviates traffic capacity issues in the Town of Eagle and supports the value and effective functioning of their Grand Ave. reconstruction project, as well as the entirety of Highway 6 from Gypsum through Eagle.
  • Connects Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT's) Bustang services to Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), supporting statewide mulit-modal transportation goals. (Multimodal) It also lowers fuel costs and reduced emissions for transit and shuttle services by providing a more direct travel route (Demand Management)
  • Adding an interchange between the two communities would provide more operational flexibility for CDOT, Colorado State Patrol (CSP), and Eagle County Sheriff's Office (ECSO). It would help them route detour traffic more effectively from I-70 or Hwy 6 during closures at Glenwood Canyon and other sections of the I-70 corridor. (System Reliability) 

Next Steps

Staff met with CDOT to determine next steps in accordance with their Policy Directive 1601 which outlines the guiding principles for designing new interchanges. The Town has initiated a Feasibility Study to reassess the project as originally designed and determine if it is still feasible, or if there are other alternatives that need to be considered. Once completed, the project will follow the process outlined below.

Project phases: Feasibility Study, NEPA Re-assessment, Engineering Design, Obtain Construction Funding, Construction, Project Complete.

Please feel free to use our project Questions and Feedback Form at this link.

Due to state digital accessibility laws, the visuals from the September 11, 2025, Public Meeting are available by request only. To request a copy, please email us using this Email link.