Construction resuming in March 2025; prairie dog mitigation underway
Construction on this project will resume in March 2025. Specific traffic impacts will be announced as work resumes.
During the week of Feb. 24-28, prairie dog mitigation will occur in the areas around the intersection, relocating prairie dogs ahead of their pup rearing season in compliance with Colorado Parks and Wildlife Guidance.
Project summary#
After several years of planning and development, an initial work completed in 2024, the City of Fort Collins is beginning a major reconstruction of the U.S. Highway 287/College Avenue and Trilby Road intersection.
After reconstruction the intersection will feature two left turn lanes from College Avenue to Trilby Road, right turn lanes for each direction of travel and a widened Trilby Road approach to College Avenue from both directions.
The reconstructed intersection will improve safety for current and future traffic levels and growth continues in the region and will create a safer intersection for all users.
The City's recent Arterial Intersection Prioritization Study identified traffic safety and congestion problems at this intersection. Safety concerns included:
- High frequencies of approach turn and rear-end crashes
- High volumes on north-south legs and increasing volumes on east-west approach legs, often exceeding the capacities of the single left turn lanes given the available green light times
- Bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility are also concerns at the intersection.
The City’s Master Street Plan calls for Trilby to eventually be a four-lane arterial road between Shields Street and Timberline Road. This reconstruction will accommodate a future widening of Trilby.
Above is the current design of the new College/Trilby intersection. Click the image for a larger version.
Project timeline#
- First construction phase
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The first construction package was completed during summer 2024, installing a new retaining wall near the southwest corner of College Ave. and Trilby Ave. This phase had little to no traffic impacts.
- Second construction phase
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The second phase will involve utilities and subsurface work. This phase will have significant traffic impacts at the intersection and in the area adjacent to the intersection, and is expected to last 4-5 months.
- Final construction phase
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The final construction phase involves surface and streetscape reconstruction and closely follows the subsurface work. Phase three will see continued traffic impacts and is expected to last 4-5 months.
Project impacts#
We anticipate lane closures on U.S. Highway 287/College Avenue and Trilby Road, as well as a full closure of Trilby Road, as a part of this construction phase. Specific closures and impacts will be updated at the top of this webpage and on our Construction webpage during this project's work period.
Project funding#
This project is expected to cost between $12-14 million.
Funding will come from Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grants, the City's Transportation Capital Expansion Fee and contributions from developments.
Have questions or concerns?#
For general questions or concerns about the project, contact Mark Laken, Project Manager, at 970-222-3546 or mlaken@fcgov.com.
If you’re a business, contact Michael Bussman, Lead Business Specialist (Economic Health), at 970-416-2307 or mbussmann@fcgov.com.
November 14, 2023 Public Meeting#
The City and project partners hosted an open house style public information session about planned improvements to the College/Trilby intersection on Nov. 14, 2023. Here are the informational poster boards displayed at that meeting:
March 3, 2022 Public Meeting#
The City of Fort Collins and Wilson & Co. Engineers and Architects held a virtual neighborhood public meeting for this project on March 3. The presentation shown at the meeting and videos of the meeting are posted below.
To view the Powerpoint presentation, click the link below.
