A three-year project to widen Santa Fe Drive in Highlands Ranch is near completion for one of the busiest roads serving between Denver and Douglas County.

But area motorists must endure a couple more roadblocks before the U.S. 85 widening project fully finishes in the fall.

This week, as construction workers pave the roads, Douglas County officials warn motorists they could face up to 20 minute delays between County Line Road and Highlands Ranch Parkway.

Intermittent turn restrictions will cause temporary traffic holds, officials said in a news release.

Officials said crews will pave a top layer of new roadway, prompting the need to reduce traffic to one lane between Saturday and Thursday, meaning disruptions for both morning and afternoon commutes.

“Crews will make every effort to ensure businesses and side streets remain accessible, although some may be impacted temporarily while the paving machine crosses the entrance,” officials said.

During the weekend, crews already reduced Santa Fe Drive to one lane in both directions, but need to do day-long operations during the work week.

From 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, both directions along Santa Fe Drive will, intermittently, be reduced to one lane operations with intersection turn restrictions and driveway access closures, according to Douglas County.

The same work will occur Wednesday and Thursday, but closures will extend until 8 p.m. during afternoon rush hour, officials said.

From 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, May 19, Santa Fe Drive will fully close over C-470, specifically between Blakeland Drive and County Line Road, for paving. There will be no access to or from C-470 onto U.S. 85, as all on and off ramps will be closed, according to the county.

Beginning in 2022, the U.S. 85 widening project expanded the busy roadway from four to six lanes with the goal to improve safety, mobility, and clear traffic congestion within the Highlands Ranch Metro District.

Major intersection improvements occurred at Highlands Ranch Parkway, Town Center Drive, Blakeland Drive, County Line Road and C-470 Interchange ramps. The project also replaced and widened the bridge over C-470 and installed multiple new trail underpasses for cyclists.

Three new “continuous flow intersections,” meant to improve traffic flow, were installed along Santa Fe Drive at eastbound Highland Ranch Parkway, eastbound Town Center Drive and westbound C-470.

A full detour map is available on Douglas County’s website, including more information on the project and roadway delays.

One dead in crash in El Paso County

At least one person died Sunday afternoon in a two-car crash northeast of Colorado Springs in unincorporated El Paso County, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

The first calls reporting the crash near Elbert Road and Murphy Road came in at about 1:08 p.m. Sunday, Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer said.

That intersection is about 25 miles northeast of Colorado Springs and 3 miles south of Eastonville.

Moltrer said at least one person died and another was taken to the hospital. It’s unclear how many people were inside both cars at the time of the crash.

The intersection of Elbert and Murphy is closed Sunday for the crash clean-up and investigation, he said.

I-70 eastbound lanes back open

FRISCO – The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 are back open after a vegetation fire that burned next to the highway in Frisco on Saturday.