Background

This DBFOM project consists of upgrading a 10-mile stretch of the interstate highway 70 in Denver, Colorado, to accommodate managed lanes and to improve  urban integration.
The Asset added one new Express Lane in each direction, removed an aging 53- year-old viaduct, lowered the interstate between Brighton and Colorado boulevards(1.4 mile, 2.25km), and placed a 4-acre park over a portion of the lowered interstate by Swansea Elementary School. With construction completed, the Central 70 Project will reduce congestion, improve safety, and better accommodate future growth along this vital transportation corridor.
The consortium combines strong local companies with global organizations experienced in construction and operation of large infrastructure projects.

Stage:

In Operations

ESG/SDG Key Facts

The Central 70 Project includes several workforce and small business goals, which are part of a ground breaking new program being implemented at only a few projects in the US. Central 70 committed to hire 20% local hires for the work force on the Project. The program consists of extensive documentation and tracking protocol with USDOT oversight, meeting local and State department guidelines. These ambitious Local Hire/Minority/Women/Apprenticeship hiring goals, along with DBE/ESB (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise / Emerging Small Business) goals, were met and exceeded expectations. The HR & Civil Rights teams use a payroll program called LCP tracker that confirms fair payment is being given on time to all of the contractor and subcontractors’ employees. The C70 Civil Rights team attends outreach and hiring events within the community to encourage small businesses to take advantage of accreditation and training resources offered by the Project. Also, ongoing support for local training in the form of internships and apprenticeships is in place.
The Project Company continues its long-standing relationship with a local non-profit food recovery operation to provide free, high quality, fresh food by volunteering at a drive-through Mobile Food Market; over 4 million meals were served in 2022 and 170 volunteer hours were performed within the community. Food needs remain high in Denver while the Project
Company continues to address those needs in various ways. An ongoing relationship remains consistent with a local scholarship organization, aligning the Asset with required educational support commitments, resulting in the establishment of a scholarship fund for local high school students.