The long-awaited roundabout at Weld County Road (WCR) 74 and 33 intersection is now open to traffic.
The opening ended a yearlong project to enhance safety and efficiency at the intersection.
Although work on the roundabout, located west of Eaton, extended well beyond its original anticipated completion date, a new contractor made all the difference. WW Clyde, which replaced Lawson Construction in October, completed several aspects of the remaining work quickly and efficiently.
Across four months, WW Clyde completed concrete paving, curb and gutter work, drainage work, tie-in work to connect the roundabout to existing portions of WCR 74 and WCR 33, and signage and striping work. WW Clyde also worked many weekends enabling completion of the roundabout 13 days ahead of its deadline, Feb. 21, 2024.
“We understand the overall length of this project was frustrating to many, but we’re extremely pleased with the end result,” said Kevin Ross, Weld County Commissioner Chair. “We’re pleased with the work of our contractor to complete the project quickly and with our Public Works department to manage the project despite some initial challenges.”
While work to construct the roundabout was ongoing, Xcel Energy successfully installed a streetlight system for the roundabout, which was one of the final elements of the project.
The WCR 74 and WCR 33 roundabout was built with many of the same specifications of previous county roundabouts, such as the ones at 35th Ave. and O St. and WCR 54 and WCR 17.
The roundabout, built to reduce crash and fatality risk at the intersection, features lanes made of concrete to achieve a 30-year lifespan before major maintenance is required. The lanes of the roundabout are wide enough to accommodate regular traffic as well as large trucks and agricultural equipment. Drivers are asked to observe the speed limit in the roundabout, which is set to 20 miles per hour.
“The teamwork on this project between WW Clyde, our Public Works department, and Xcel Energy is what we strive for in every project when making improvements to our transportation infrastructure,” said Curtis Hall, Director of the Weld County Department of Public Works. “We appreciate the public’s patience during this project and believe this roundabout will have many great benefits for years to come.”