E-470 Hopes To Return To Pre-Pandemic Traffic Levls By 2023.
ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Light traffic during the pandemic has impacted a Denver metro area tollway. E-470 relies on drivers and toll fees to stay funded and operating.
E-470 officials anticipate they will see traffic return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023. Through August of this year, the tollway had 48 million travelers and transactions.
E-470 is working on major upgrades to attract more drivers, including widening the road between Interstate 70 and 104th. They also plan to upgrade toll plazas with food and beverage vendors, wifi and electric car charging stations.
"Since we've been in this area, there's been more jobs created, more housing, more businesses, so we really like to be a partner for that. So that means, you know, partnering with those commercial shippers to make sure items are delivered on time, partnering with Denver International Airport to provide people a quick and reliable way to get to and from the airport, about 25% of our traffic is people actually going to the airport," said E-470 Spokesperson Heather Burke.
Planners also want to focus on things such as preventing wrong-way driving and improving air quality and wildlife crossing safety.
