The idea for a new I-70 interchange near the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is not new; it is a long-standing regional goal.

Initial Planning & Acquisition: The initial concept was proposed in 1986.

Comprehensive planning efforts followed, including an Interchange Concept Study in 1999 and a full Environmental Assessment (EA) completed in 2004. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) authorized the Preferred Alternative in 2005, and the right-of-way needed for the project was subsequently acquired around 2010.

Project Hiatus: Unfortunately, the EAI project was shelved in 2010 because necessary construction funding could not be secured.

Reactivation: In 2024, the Town of Gypsum officially reactivated the project by initiating a new Feasibility Study. The goal of this study was to reassess the original design and determine if it remains viable, or if new alternatives must be considered given the many changes in the valley over the last two decades.

The current roadway infrastructure, particularly Interstate 70 (I-70) and Highway 6, no longer adequately meets the needs of the growing Eagle River Valley.

The Problems We Are Addressing (Purpose and Need)

The need for a new interchange is driven by serious issues related to mobility, safety, operations, and growth:

• Regional Growth and Congestion: The local and regional population and employment have grown 143% between 2000 and 2023. This rapid expansion, along with increased tourism traffic, causes rising congestion in the towns of Gypsum and Eagle.
• Overloaded Interchanges: The two existing I-70 interchanges (Exit 140 in Gypsum and Exit 147 in Eagle) are spaced seven miles apart. They are currently nearing their operational limits, handling significant local, industrial, and tourist traffic.
• Emergency Service and Evacuation Risks: When I-70 closes due to crashes or natural disasters, heavy traffic is forced onto local town roads, overwhelming the network and posing safety risks. The new interchange will improve emergency service access and evacuation routes.
• Airport and Freight Access: Access to the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is currently indirect. EGE has seen a 38% increase in direct flights (enplanements) between 2020 and 2025. Freight carriers (like UPS, FEDEX, and Amazon) and industrial traffic must use Highway 6 and local streets, increasing congestion and conflicts with residential traffic.

How the EAI Solves These Issues

The new interchange and connector road are designed to improve system performance and quality of life by providing:

• Traffic Relief: The EAI is projected to significantly reduce traffic at adjacent exits, decreasing volumes by approximately 20% at the Gypsum Interchange (Exit 140) and approximately 30% at the Eagle Interchange (Exit 147).
• Operational Resilience: It will provide greater flexibility during frequent I-70 closures, offering a resilient route for emergency and regional access.
• Future Support: It will extend the serviceable life of the existing transportation network and support the anticipated future multimodal transit hub along Highway 6.

The Feasibility Study (completed in 2025) involved a thorough technical analysis guided by the principles of Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS). CSS is a collaborative process that ensures transportation projects meet engineering needs while reflecting the unique local context and community values.

The project utilized dedicated stakeholder teams, including the Project Leadership Team (PLT), the Technical Team (TT), and Issue Task Forces (ITFs), to incorporate community insights and agency coordination throughout the evaluation.

Alternatives Evaluated

The study re-examined the original 18 alternatives from the 2004 EA and focused primarily on evaluating three main options for constructing the connector road across Highway 6 and the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR):

1. Overpass: Building a bridge structure over Highway 6 and the UPRR.
2. Underpass: Constructing an underpass beneath Highway 6 and the UPRR.
3. At-Grade: Creating a new signalized intersection that crosses Highway 6 and the UPRR track at ground level.

Recommended Alternative: The At-Grade Crossing

Based on thorough evaluation against criteria like safety, cost, community impact, and environmental effect, the study recommends advancing the At-Grade Crossing alternative.

Why the At-Grade Option? This alternative aligns best with the project goals for several reasons:

• Cost-Effectiveness: It offers a significant decrease in material costs compared to the Overpass or Underpass options, requiring less structure.
• Location: It follows an alignment within the existing CDOT right-of-way.
• Environmental/Visual Impact: It presents the lowest risk of adverse visual impact to officially historic resources like Highway 6 and the UPRR, compared to alternatives that introduce large, new bridge structures.

Interchange Type and Cost Estimates: The study also evaluated several interchange designs (such as a signalized diamond, roundabout, half-diverging diamond (DDI), and single-point urban interchange (SPUI)) to optimize traffic flow.

The estimated cost (current 2025 dollars) for the full project, including the Connector Road (At-Grade Alternative) and a recommended Half DDI interchange design, is approximately $123.5 Million to $142.3 Million. These costs are expected to increase by 5%–10% annually until construction begins.

The completion of the Feasibility Report in November of 2025 (document link below) signals the start of the next phase: detailed environmental review and preliminary design (anticipated 2026–2029).

The Town will continue following the required processes set by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and FHWA to ensure the project remains eligible for state and/or federal funding.

Key Next Steps (2026–2029)

• Environmental Clearance (NEPA): The recommended alternative will advance into the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) study. This includes a re-evaluation of the original 2004 Environmental Assessment.
• Agency Approvals: We must secure formal approval through the CDOT 1601 Process (System Level Study) and the FHWA Interstate Access Justification Report (IAJR).
• Railroad Coordination: Progressing discussions with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) is critical to verify acceptance of the recommended At-Grade crossing and mitigate safety concerns.
• Detailed Design and Analysis: This phase includes detailed operational and safety evaluations, finalizing the interchange design, and developing safety mitigation measures identified in the Feasibility Study.
• Funding Acquisition: The Town is aggressively pursuing state and federal grant opportunities, having recently applied for design and planning funds through programs such as the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program ($1.5M requested) and the Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (RIA) Program ($2.0M requested).

Anticipated Construction Timeline: Construction is currently projected to begin around 2029, depending on the timeframe for acquiring funding.