The City of Grand Junction plans to expand 24 Road as the next phase of a long-running effort to provide a loop that speeds travel through the Grand Valley.

“Moving freely around the city is one of the key measures of the community’s quality of life. Growth and subsequent traffic demands are increasing the need for additional capacity on our network of streets,” said Trent Prall, director of public works. “The completion of the loop will provide access to the interstate, shopping, industry, the riverfront, recreational opportunities and large residential portions of the valley.”

The city plans to widen the 24 Road corridor to five lanes in 2023. The expansion will include bike lanes, medians, streetlights and a sidewalk along the west side.

The Grand Junction City Council is scheduled to consider awarding a contract for the project at its Dec. 21 meeting. Construction is slated to begin in January and finish in April 2024.

For the past 25 years, Grand Junction and Mesa County have been working to bring the loop project to fruition which, once complete, will have seen an investment of more than $250 million.

Some portions of the loop have been completed. The Riverside Parkway was finished in 2008 at an investment of $110 million, and 29 Road was improved from Patterson Road to the Riverside Parkway at a cost of more than $50 million.

The last remaining piece of the loop is a proposed 29 Road interchange with Interstate Highway 70, which will cost an estimated $70 million. Grand Junction and Mesa County continue to work with the Federal Highway Administration and Colorado Department of Transportation on environmental documentation, permitting and authorization for a new interchange.

The city’s comprehensive plan includes an efficient and connected transportation system as a key principle. City staff works to ensure the transportation network functions smoothly, addressing capacity and congestion issues. The city works with Mesa County and the Colorado Department of Transportation on multi-jurisdictional traffic management, signal optimization and construction.

Capital improvements are identified and prioritized through the city’s capital improvement plan as well as the Colorado Department of Transportation statewide transportation improvement plan.