Eastman Park Dr. & Hwy. 257 Construction

Starting next Monday, September 25, the intersection of Eastman Park Dr. and CO 257 will be open to all four directions of traffic, weather permitting. The new intersection layout includes safety and functionality improvements such as:

• Intersection widening and islands moved further apart to give trucks room to turn.
• Improved traffic signal coordination and timing.
• Railroad track crossing, signal and gate improvements.
• New sidewalks and ADA ramps.
• Designated bike lanes on Eastman Park Dr.
• Median from the Eastman Park Dr. & Water Valley Pkwy./Cornerstone Dr. roundabout to State Hwy. 257.

While we are excited to announce the reopening of the Eastman Park Dr. & CO 257 intersection, we do, however, want to make you aware of a traffic pattern change at Automation Dr. and Eastman Park Dr. The intersection will become a right-in, right-out only which means commuters will no longer be able to turn left onto Automation Dr. from Eastman Park Dr. and vice versa. Bollard posts will be installed to restrict the turning movement. Residents will still have access to businesses in the area using Commons Dr.

After the intersection reopens, there will still be crews completing construction along the shoulders and sidewalk working on pedestrian connectivity. The temporary shoofly detour will also be demolished and the area will be seeded, graded and cleaned up.

CDOT is still completing roadway improvements and bridge repairs from south of Crossroads Blvd. to north of US 34 in Greeley. For updates on their CO 257 resurfacing project, visit codot.gov/projects/co257us34walnut. To receive CDOT traffic alert notifications, text 257 to 866-762-3640.

Over the past several weeks, the paving operations were completed from the roundabout on Cornerstone Dr. to CO 257. Additionally, signal poles and railroad gates were installed and are currently undergoing wiring, including utility tie-in from Xcel Energy. Lastly, concrete islands have been formed around the signal poles complete with ADA ramps.

In the following week, the newly paved roadway is going to get striped, roadside signage will get installed and the intersection will begin final inspections. Once the town, CDOT, railroad, and utility providers pass the inspections, the intersection will reopen east/west function to traffic, anticipated for the end of September, weather permitting.

After the intersection reopens, crews will continue working on the shoulders and sidewalk pedestrian connections. The temporary detour “shoofly” and signal will also need to be demolished and the area will undergo grading, seeding and cleanup. This restoration process is expected to undergo throughout the month of October and when everything is completed, the project will wrap up three to four months earlier than originally anticipated.

The regular intersection function will be slightly different than before construction. Improvements include wider roadways to allow more space for turning trucks, improved traffic signal coordination and timing, new sidewalks and ADA ramps, designated bike lanes on Eastman Park Dr., a median from the Cornerstone Dr. roundabout to CO 257 and most importantly, improved safety and functionality. Bollard posts will also be installed on the eastern section of the intersection to eliminate the left turn movement from Eastman Park Dr. onto Automation Dr. and vice versa to alleviate further intersection congestion.

There is an upcoming 20-day closure of CO 257 from south of Crossroads Blvd. to just north of US 34 (10^th St.) in Greeley, weather permitting. During this time, commuters will have to detour.

Work will take place from 7 a.m. on Tuesday, September 5 through 7 p.m. on Monday, September 25. Planned work includes the resurfacing of CO 257, extensive repairs to the bridge supports and deck, replacing bridge railing and paving the bridge. Vehicle traffic must stay off the bridge while work is performed.

The Town of Windsor’s Eastman Park Dr. and CO 257 intersection improvements continue and is nearing completion. Following the reopening both the northbound and southbound portion of the intersection, the next steps are to install traffic signal poles, coordinate with Great Western Railway to synchronize their crossing signals with the new traffic signals, and pave the east/west portion of Eastman Park Dr. from the Cornerstone Dr. roundabout to CO 257. If all goes to plan, the intersection is anticipated to open in October – nearly 3-4 months earlier than originally projected.

As of Thursday, August 24, both the northbound and southbound portions of CO 257 at the intersection of Eastman Park Dr. are open. Same goes for CDOT’s floodplain closure. Following the reopening of CO 257, the Town of Windsor will focus on paving Eastman Park Dr. between Cornerstone Dr. and CO 257, coordinating the Railroad signal and safe crossing installation, and installing traffic signal poles at the intersection for the east/west portion to reopen.

Before the traffic signal poles can be installed, there is a couple weeks’ worth of wiring, on-site assembly and preparation that has to go into the street corners so they can stand up on their own. The town also has to coordinate with the railroad so their crossing signals are in sync with the new traffic lights. While the details are still being worked out logistically, the town is aiming for an October intersection reopening. Text Roads to 970-251-7151 to receive traffic alerts.

Then, starting Tuesday, Sept. 5, CDOT is going to fully close a portion of CO 257 south of Crossroads Blvd. for 20 days for bridge repairs. We mentioned this closure at the beginning of this project, so we hope it’s not catching you off guard. If it is, you can find more information about their road work at or text 257 to 866-762-3640.

All road work is weather permitting and subject to change.

Windsor Charter Academy’s school year is picking back up Friday, August 18 for kindergarten, 6^th grade and 9^th grade, and will be in full swing starting Monday, August 21. Here is some additional information for parents regarding the pick-up/drop-off process and the Eastman Park Dr./CO 257 intersection improvements.

• While the northbound portion of the intersection will remain closed through Friday, August 25, the southbound portion remains open.
• Commuters traveling from Greeley are encouraged to detour using 83^rd Ave. to Eastman Park Dr. Commuters traveling from Severance or north/northwest Windsor will have to detour using CO 392 (Main St.) to CR 23 onto Eastman Park Dr.
• Commuters traveling from western Windsor will have to detour using Garden Dr. from 1^st St. or CO 257.
• Lastly, commuters traveling from south Windsor will have to detour using 7^th St. to Garden Dr. or Eastman Park Dr. to 1^st St. onto Garden Dr.

Parents of students are strongly discouraged from parking along Automation Dr. for prior to dismissal queueing due to the inherent dangers of increased traffic. Additionally, many of the areas along Automation Dr. are signed as no parking areas and will be enforced by Windsor PD. Residents and business owners are asked to use extra caution around the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. during pick-up and drop-off.

Parents of elementary students can find more info at: windsorcharteracademy.org/es-drop-off-and-pick-up . Parents of middle/high school students (as well as parents with kids in both schools) can find more info at: windsorcharteracademy.org/mshs-pick-up-and-drop-off.

The southbound portion of Eastman Park Dr. and CO 257 has reopened to through traffic as of Friday, August 4. The northbound portion of the intersection from the temporary signal to Commons Dr. will remain closed until Friday, August 25 or until the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is finished with their floodplain repair along CO 257 near Crossroads Blvd., weather permitting. During this time, residents will have to continue detouring using the shoofly onto Eastman Park Dr. and Automation Dr. if turning northbound from Poudre Trail Dr. or Kodak Dr.

CDOT’s roadway improvements from the roundabout just north of Walnut St. to Commons Dr. is also completed and residents are now able to travel southbound from the intersection north of Walnut St. south to Crossroads Blvd. along CO 257. CDOT continues to work on the roadway north of Crossroads Blvd. until Friday, August 25. For more information on CDOT’s roadway improvements, visit codot.gov/projects/co257us34walnut.

As a part of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s roadway improvements, northbound CO 257 will be closed for construction in the Cache la Poudre River floodplain from Poudre Trail Dr. to Crossroads Blvd. starting at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 31 until Friday, August 25. The closure is expected to last 20 days and commuters traveling north on CO 257 will have to detour. Southbound CO 257 will remain open.

The full 30-day closure of CO 257 from Walnut St. to Eastman Park Dr. remains in effect until Friday, August 4. CDOT is completing as much work as possible before school is back in session. This full closure saves several weeks of one-lane alternating traffic conditions and intersection closures.

The Town of Windsor is responsible for communicating the intersection improvements along Eastman Park Dr. and CO 257. Due to the nature of this closure, the town is assisting CDOT in notifying residents and business owners of the anticipated impacts. For all future updates on CDOT’s CO 257 roadway improvements, visit bit.ly/CDOT257. To receive CDOT traffic alert notifications, text 257 to 866-762-3640.

As a part of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)’s ongoing CO 257 road work, the intersection of Garden Dr. and CO 257 will be closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19 and Friday, July 21 for intersection reconstruction, weather permitting. The intersection will be open to traffic on Thursday, July 20 on a temporary gravel surface. During this time, business access will remain open.

The Town of Windsor is continuing the traffic improvement project at the intersection of Eastman Park Dr. and CO 257. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is also continuing their roadway improvements along CO 257. There is an upcoming 30-day closure of CO 257 from Eastman Park Dr. to the roundabout north of Walnut St. anticipated to start July 5, weather permitting. During this time, crews will be working six days a week and commuters will have to detour. Business access will remain available.

Due to the record-breaking rain during the May and June months, both projects have experienced significant delays. The 30-day closure is intended to catch up on lost time due to weather delays without having to work under live traffic conditions. Not only does this speed up the process, but it is also safer for workers as well. During this time, intersection improvements will continue at Eastman Park Dr. and CO 257, and part of the highway will be resurfaced north of the intersection. One important goal of this closure is to accelerate the construction schedule and mitigate traffic impacts anticipated with the start of the new school year in August.

Local traffic traveling north or south on CO 257 will have to detour using Crossroads Blvd. and 7^th St. to retain business accessibility. Trucks and commercial vehicles will have to detour using Eastman Park Dr. and County Rd. 23. Garden Dr. will remain open during the closure period, except for a couple of days in mid-July to allow CDOT to rebuild the Garden Dr. and CO 257 intersection. More information for the Garden Dr. closure will be shared once specific dates are known. The Poudre Express is picking up passengers at the temporary shelter west of the Eastman Park Dr./Cornerstone Dr. roundabout for both directions.

This closure directly impacts the accessibility of UFP Industries' multiple yard sites within the closure area and the trucking access between them. One yard located just north of the Garden Dr. and CO 257 intersection and a second near Walnut St. and CO 257. To mitigate this and keep our local businesses' best interest in mind, CDOT and the Town of Windsor is allowing UFP trucks to utilize 1st St., Walnut St., Garden Dr., and a portion of the roundabout cut off to public access north of Walnut St. Due to the nature of this business, there will be approximately 20 out and back trips that UFP will be making, totaling to 40 trips a day. The Windsor Police Department has been made aware of this exception as well.

Both projects have been a collaboration between the town, CDOT, the Great Western Railway, Greeley-Evans Transit, utilities and contractors to identify next steps as plans continue to change.

Shoofly detour paving for the Eastman Park Dr. and State Hwy. 257 intersection project is anticipated to take place Thursday, June 15 through Friday, June 16. Following the shoofly paving, contractors will pave the roadway shoulder and apply temporary striping on Friday, June 16 or Monday, June 19, weather permitting. The traffic pattern switch to the shoofly detour is expected to take place Monday, June 19 and the west half of the intersection will fully close for railway improvements on Eastman Park Dr.