Cottonwood Drive Widening Project

Project Update - October 2021

The Cottonwood Drive Widening Project, stretching from Cottonwood Way to Jordan Road, is nearing completion.

Crews are working diligently to open all four lanes prior to the end of 2021. Some additional project items will remain to be completed in the spring of 2022.

Traffic Impacts - March 18 to 20, 2021

A big milestone in the Cottonwood Drive Widening Project will take place Thursday, March 18 through Saturday, March 20, when girders for the new bridge spanning Cherry Creek are scheduled to be installed.

As a result of this work, Parker motorists will see traffic impacts and are advised to find alternate routes for Cottonwood Drive between Cottonwood Way and Apache Plume Drive. Those who do travel this route during the Thursday through Saturday time period will experience one-way traffic directed by flaggers. Traffic will also occasionally be stopped in both directions for several minutes at a time while the bridge girders are being set.

In addition to impacting motorists, this construction work will also affect pedestrians and cyclists using the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. The portion of the trail that crosses under the Cottonwood Drive bridges will be closed with a detour put in place. Detour signage will direct pedestrians and cyclists to travel west to Jordan Road between Greengrass Way/Maple Crest Drive and Parkerhouse Road.

Work on this important capital improvement project continues to progress on schedule. Traffic is scheduled to be switched over to the new bridge and widened lanes this summer to allow for renovation/reconstruction of the existing bridge and roadway. The Town hopes to have the newly reconstructed Cottonwood Drive open in its new configuration and capacity by the end of 2021.

Cottonwood Trailhead / Parking Lot Closing Oct. 15, 2020

The Cottonwood Trailhead for the Cherry Creek Trail and associated parking lot is anticipated to be closed Oct. 15, 2020 through the end of 2021 during this road widening project and subsequent trailhead improvements. Find an alternate trailhead and trail maps at www.ParkerRec.com/Maps; the closest trailhead is located at Preservation Park.

Project Details

The long-anticipated Cottonwood Drive Widening Project is scheduled to begin in October 2020.

This project features the widening of Cottonwood Drive between Cottonwood Way and Jordan Road from the existing two traffic lanes to four lanes. The existing bridge spanning Cherry Creek, built in the 1980s, will be renovated, and a new adjacent bridge will be constructed to accommodate the added lanes of traffic. The project is expected to be under construction through the end of 2021.

The Parker Town Council approved an $11 million project on Sept. 8 to widen the Cottonwood Bridge in north Parker. This project is a collaboration between the Town of Parker and Partnering for Parker’s Progress (P3), the Town’s urban renewal authority. P3 will provide $8 million in funding for the project, while the Town will provide the remaining funds and complete the work.

In addition to the roadway widening, additional intersection and geometry improvements will be performed to Cottonwood Drive between Parker Road and Cottonwood Way.

Additional Details

Work in Winter 2020/21 will focus on construction of the new bridge over Cherry Creek located adjacent to the existing bridge.
Roadway widening activities for the new traffic lanes, to be located south of the existing lanes, is expected to begin next spring and continue throughout 2021.
Traffic is anticipated to be switched over to the widened lanes and new bridge in mid-2021 to allow for renovation the existing bridge and reconstruction of the existing pavement west of the Cherry Creek bridge.
A new traffic signal will be added at the intersection of Cottonwood Drive and Apache Plume Drive.
The Cottonwood trailhead for the Cherry Creek Trail and associated parking lot will be closed for the duration of the project. This area will be used for staging by the contractors. Patrons of the Cottonwood trailhead should plan to use alternate trailhead(s) during the construction (the closest trailhead is located at Preservation Park).
As part of the roadway widening work, the Cottonwood trailhead parking lot will be reconstructed south of the widened roadway, with a different configuration and more parking stalls.
The contractor will be following the Town of Parker’s construction noise ordinance, and work will not begin before 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturdays. There may be weekend work and the start times are different for the weekend (8 a.m. on Saturdays).