All eyes were on the Ames team in Colorado in mid-November when crews set a dozen girders for the Sable Boulevard Bridge over E-470.
Led by Project Manager John Koussis, Project Engineer Zach Heyne, and Foremen Chance Gurule, Jaime Aguirre, and Luis Gallegos, crews used two 500-ton hydraulic cranes to rig, set, and brace one girder every 30 minutes. The operation proceeded in just three hours each night over two consecutive nights, with significant traffic control coordination with E-470, CDOT, Adams County, and the City of Brighton.
The E-470 and Sable Boulevard Intersection project aims to create a new access point to E-470 from Sable Boulevard in Brighton to meet the needs of the growing region.
The project broke ground in May 2025. Scope includes:
✅ Constructing four ramps to complete a full diamond interchange with Sable Boulevard.
✅ Widening Sable Boulevard Bridge over E-470.
✅ Relocating vital utilities.
🚧 More 2025 milestones
Relocated 3,360 feet of Aurora Water’s 60-inch Prairie Waters Pipeline
Led by Superintendent Larry Pagel and Foreman Lorenzo Martinez, this work included the tunnel crossing of Sable Boulevard and open cut pipe installation at depths of up to 25 feet.
Advanced construction of the E-470 NB on- and off-ramps
The ramps served as a bypass for E-470 northbound traffic during girder setting. This eliminated the need to implement a detour, greatly reducing the impact to the traveling public. Led by Superintendent Barry Snidow and Foremen Juan Parra and Ivan Cerrato, this effort required modifications to planned electric and water utility work to remove conflicts with the earthwork needed to complete the ramps.
🚧 Looking ahead
The project is on track to finish ahead of schedule in the summer of 2026. Before then, crews will:
- Complete bridge widening.
- Perform earthwork and paving for the on- and off-ramps.
- Relocate water lines.
- Install storm drain, traffic signals, lighting, and tolling infrastructure.
“The team has taken great pride in the work they do every day, keeping safety and quality as priorities. This has been integral to creating a strong relationship with our client, E-470; engineering firms Felsburg Holt & Ullevig and Stantec; and other major stakeholders including Aurora Water, City of Brighton, and Adams County.”—Project Manager John Koussis
