Originally part of the 2015 bond program, the project was supposed to start construction in July 2021. Construction is expected to cost more than $8.46 million, according to a Jan. 13 open house presentation. The project has received feedback over the years from members of the community on ways to improve the road.
This area of Custer consists of a four-lane undivided roadway with two lanes heading northbound and two southbound. Each lane is 10 feet wide with a 4-foot sidewalk on both sides of the roadway.
City officials said Custer will become a one-lane road in each direction with a continuous left-turn center lane in the middle. All lanes will remain at 10 feet wide. Each direction will also have a 5-foot dedicated bike line, while pedestrian sidewalks and ramps will be improved.
City officials said this redesign will help lower the speed of motor vehicles and improve left-turn visibility and safety while adding bicycle lanes and a buffer for pedestrian safety.
On top of transforming the lanes, the project will add radar speed-monitoring signs to both the northbound and southbound directions. The signs are designed to remind motorists of their speed as they travel down this road, which includes Northrich Elementary School.
At the intersection across from Northrich Elementary at Beverly Drive, city officials said they plan to add a raised median and a pedestrian crosswalk signal to improve safety for students.
Other pedestrian improvements include sidewalk repairs, new sidewalks where missing, updated curb ramps with pedestrian push buttons and new crosswalks at the intersection of Custer and Arapaho.
With construction underway, various lane closures are expected throughout the year on the road with an expected completion date in early 2023, weather permitting, according to city officials.
