Tag: Sports Betting

CDOT wants input on trail adjoining I-70 Floyd Hill project

CDOT wants input on trail adjoining I-70 Floyd Hill project

While construction continues along the $700
million CDOT I-70 Floyd Hill project, the
nearby Clear Creek Greenway Trail has been
closed for several months.

during weekday hours between 7 a.m. and
5:30 p.m. Drivers accessing westbound I-70
can avoid the closure by traveling east on U.S.
40 or I-70 to Lookout Mountain and taking the
on-ramp to the interstate.

escape
ramp en-
trance.

CDOT said
some lane
restrictions
will occur at
various times
at both project loca-
tions. The new escape ramp project is expected
to be completed in late May or early June.

With spring approaching, CDOT is seeking
input on alternative trail access from those
who use the trail. The state asks trail users to
participate in an online survey at www.budd.
ly.481yqZb. The survey will close on Friday,
Feb. 23.

Projects between Floyd Hill and Den-
ver

Meanwhile, two other CDOT projects be-
tween C-470 and Floyd Hill continue to im-
pact traffic between Floyd Hill and C-470 in
Golden.

Photo courtesy CDOT.

A section of the trail remains closed between
U.S. 6 (Exit 244) and the Hidden Valley-
Central City Parkway (Exit 243) during road
construction and utility work. CDOT said the
work is expected to last until later this spring.
However, users should expect ongoing trail
impacts and closures through spring 2027.
The one-mile part of the trail will remain an
active construction zone and is considered un-
safe for multi-use travel, although other parts
of the trail will remain open.

This week and next, parts of I-70 and
U.S. 40 near Genesee will be subject to
closing so CDOT can continue construc-
tion of a $10 million wildlife underpass
along the interstate.

Project overview
The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project will build a
third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function
as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane
bottleneck heading down Floyd Hill westbound. The
new toll lane will begin near the top of Floyd Hill west-
bound and will be a fly-over lane that will end near the
Veterans Memorial Tunnels.

The closures are scheduled between
7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Mondays through
Fridays through Feb. 17. Drivers ac-
cessing U.S. 40 eastbound can detour
around the closure by using eastbound
I-70 to the Lookout Mountain exit.
Westbound drivers cannot take the exits
at Genesee and Mount Vernon Road.

• Constructing a missing two-mile section of the
frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho
Springs.

Utility work in the vicinity
This week, construction crews continue to
conduct utility work between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
on U.S. 6 at the U.S. 40 junction and the U.S. 6
on-ramp to westbound I-70. The area is below
Floyd Hill and near the Two Bears taproom.

• Building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for
slow-moving vehicles. Improving traffic flow and
access at interchanges and intersections within
the project limits.

The wildlife underpass area has
been ongoing for months near the top
of Genesse Hill and is expected to be
completed this spring. On unannounced
days, the left lane, heading westbound,
is closed to accommodate the work. Mo-
torists should read the orange construc-
tion signs heading up I-70 from Morri-
son to learn if the work may impact the
traffic flow.

• Improving sight distance on roadway curves.
Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail. Imple-
menting environmental mitigation to create safer
wildlife movements and improve air and water
quality and stream conditions an d recreation.

I-70 ramp closure
The Homestead Road on-ramp to westbound
I-70 – at the top of Floyd Hill – will remain
closed through Friday, Feb. 16, although
weather may play a factor in the reopening
plans.

Driver cautions
CDOT said motorists should expect narrower lanes
and shoulders, reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph
and increased truck traffic entering and exiting the work
zones. All construction activities are weather-dependent
and subject to change. During construction, the exist-
ing I-70 travel lanes will remain open in each direction
during peak daytime travel hours. Lane closure hours
for the duration of construction will vary based on the
season, day of the week, number of lanes being closed
and travel direction.

Motorists near the top of Floyd Hill on U.S.
40 should continue west on U.S. 40, travel
down the hill and use the U.S. 6 interchange to
access westbound I-70.

The larger project includes rebuilding
the eastbound emergency truck escape
ramp between Mt. Vernon Road (Exit
256) and the Morrison exit (Exit 259).
There will be overnight double-lane clo-
sures on eastbound I-70 in the vicinity.
The emergency ramp has been closed
for weeks.

Highway 6 restrictions
Along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway 6),
ongoing, single-land closures are planned
from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. between mile points 267
and 271.5. The restrictions will continue today
through Friday, Feb. 23, according to CDOT.

• The escape ramp work will include:

Project sections
The Floyd Hill project is divided into three sections.
The East Section is from the west of Evergreen to mid-
way down Floyd Hill near the Black Hawk interchange
(Exit 244). The West Section is from near Exit 243
(Central City Parkway) to the Veterans Memorial Tun-
nels near Idaho Springs. The Central Section is from
the middle of Floyd Hill through Exit 243 (Central
City/Hidden Valley exit). The east section began this
spring and continues through June 2026. The West
section is expected to start this fall and will conclude
in the fall of 2027. The Central section has begun and
will continue into 2028. The East part of the project
includes installing two new traffic roundabouts along
Highway 40, at County Road 65 and Homestead Road.
Flagmen control traffic during some of the daytime
work.

• New signage.

The planned restrictions are part of the
ongoing Peak to Plains Huntsman Gulch trail
project that began last year in Jefferson Coun-
ty, between Highway 119 and Golden.

• Larger barriers between the ramp
and the steep embankment.

• Additional cameras.

New I-70 Golden closure
Westbound I-70 near Golden will experience
random lane closures until later this month

• New ramp lighting.

• A new design intended to allow late
entry for truckers who miss the

Construct crews
installing rebar on
wall along Floyd Hill.

For information on the Highway 6/Clear Creek
Canyon project being conducted by Jeffco, visit www.
jeffco.us/P2P . Phone information is available at 720-
893-0403. The email address is peak2plains@gmail.
com. For real-time travel information, visit www.
COtrip.org.

February 15, 2024
Economic development discusions atract large audience at Clear Crek-Gilpin counties event

Economic development discusions atract large audience at Clear Crek-Gilpin counties event

County, in-
cluding Rol-
linsville. The
Better City
consultant
reported that
more than a
third of resi-
dents work
from home
sometimes,
so better in-
ternet service
is vital to
them.

Continued from page 1

Longtime Clear Creek resident Kelly Flen-
niken, chair of the CCECC, said she was pleased
about the turnout from those who work in the
two counties and wanted to hear the various
reports presented during the session. “A lot of
us believe that a good quality of life depends on
a good, quality job,” she told the audience.

“Why does economic development mean in
a small rural community and why should you
care?” asked Flenniken. “I can tell you that it
matters in all communities because it’s a series
of different programs, policies or initiatives
that seek to improve that economic well-being
in that community. We want to build a diverse
tax base and don’t want to be overly reliant on
one industry. We need to think about how to
build our community and have more quality
employment. We need to think about how we
can have quality housing and employment, plus
a robust education system. All of these pieces
are connected.”

According
to Englund,
another
item that
could attract
more people
to visit is
the national
forests in the
county. “Trail access is a big thing. It’s amaz-
ing how many little trails come out from Rol-
linsville. One of the problems is that there isn’t
enough parking, and many of the trails aren’t
marked. If you can get people to come and stay
an extra day, that would be good if they came
up to spend more time on the trails.”

Capacity crowd at CCEDC Rural Resilience event.

Photos by Don Ireland

Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey said he didn’t
know much about the CCEDC before he at-
tended the Rural Resilience event. “It was a
great networking opportunity, and I was actu-
ally impressed by the turnout,” he said. “I was
a little bit embarrassed that – until recently –
that I didn’t know much about them. Lyndsey
Valdez, their president, gave a short presenta-
tion at our council meeting recently. However, I
didn’t realize that they were available in Gilpin
County. I’ve actually gone to their website to
learn about the process
of what it takes to apply
for a loan.”

Counties. Since 1985, the CCEDC has provided
over $8 million in business loans, which has
leveraged approximately $17.5 million in area
investments. The goal of the loan program is to
support business retention and expansion, and
new job growth within Region 3.

Wilkins said a large part of Clear Creek’s
economy comes from mining and tourism.
One idea being considered for the county is an

increase in sales taxes,
which could help fund ad-
ditional tourism-related
projects. However, “some
people don’t want to see
more growth in the com-
munity,” he commented.
“Summers are crazy in
Clear Creek County, and
there are people who
don’t want more traffic.”

Rears joked, “Prior to
2019, Gilpin County’s
economic strategy was
to build another casino.
During the pandemic,
the county laid off
about one-third of its
staff. We realized we
really needed to diver-
sify our economy.” Fol-
lowing the pandemic,
Gilpin received a grant,
which it used to hire
Better City, a consulting
organization that helps
communities develop
plans for their futures
in the U.S. and other
countries.

Among the ideas dis-
cussed are special events
or festivals during the
off-season months, which
could bring in more tour-
ism revenue. Wilkins said
fishing or hockey tour-
naments at Georgetown
Lake are possibilities. It
is also possible a “round-
up program” could be
considered, where shop-
pers would be asked to round up their purchase
price receipt to the next dollar – with the dif-
ference used to pave roads or pay for additional
events.

Ray Rears Gilpin County manager.

Englund of Better
City commented that Black Hawk has begun
adding additional attractions to bring in tour-
ists not interested in gaming for an extra day.
He said Gilpin would like those visitors to ex-
pand their stay by offering other items. Increas-
ing the number of businesses in Rollinsville and
developing more information about available
trails and historical places in the county could
help leaders and businesses accomplish that
goal.

Wilkins said the creation of a proposed
parking garage and the Argo Gondola ride in
Idaho Springs are ideas that – if developed –
could help increase tourism. He noted the hot
springs and a gondola in Glenwood Springs
have helped bring visitors to that section of the
mountains.

Central City Heritage West Realty owner Roy
Varela joins Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey at
the Idaho Springs Economic Mixer event.

“Central City is in a different situation,” noted
Englund. “They have a larger population and
room to expand [along the Central City Park-
way]. Then there is Rollinsville, where busi-
nesses there would like it to be a true destina-
tion. We had 24 people show up for a meeting
there by people who want to change the com-
munity themselves. They’re working together
and using their own money. They’re trying to
figure out a way to make Rollinsville a true des-
tination. Parking is a big issue. This is a work in
process but there’s a lot of good things going on
there.”

While most people at the CCEDC event were
from the Clear Creek area, it attracted several
people from Gilpin County and Rears and Fey.
Gilpin County Commissioner Marie
Mornis, Boyle, Black Hawk busi-
nessman Eddie Miller and a few
Rollinsville business owners also
turned out. Another Gilpin com-
missioner, Susan Berumen, sits on
the loan committee for the CCEDC.

Photo by Bob Sweeney

PRECISE REPAIR, GENUINE CARE

Keep your home safe
with concrete repair

On Friday, elected officials and
leaders from both counties met to
discuss what they heard on Thurs-
day night and shared ideas on
what future opportunities could be
considered.

Englund said installing broadband would
help those who work and live in Gilpin County,
a project currently being developed by the
county government and its partners. Gilpin
Grant Manager Jamie Boyle said Maverix
Broadband received a $6.78 million grant to
expand broadband service in northern Gilpin

Worrying about your uneven or cracked

concrete can make owning a home very

stressful. By investing in concrete repair,

you can fix your driveway, walkways, patio,

and more in one easy lift.

The CCEDC administers the
Region 3 Business Loan Program
(BLF) for Clear Creek and Gilpin

GET A FREE ESTIMATE
877-422-1375

February 15, 2024
Clear Crek County Comunity

Clear Crek County Comunity

Event Calendar

Friday Adventures with CCMRD — No
school on Fridays? Put your child in our Friday
Adventures Program. We will be exploring all
around Clear Creek County and going on several
field trips! Drop off at the Clear Creek Rec Center
between 7:30 and 9 a.m., pick up between 4 and
5:30 p.m. For ages 5-15. $45 per child. Friday,
Feb. 9 – Ice Skating at Evergreen Lake; Friday, Feb.
16 – Denver Zoo; Friday, Feb. 23 – Hammonds
Candy Tour; Friday, March 1 – Colorado History
Museum; Friday, March 8 – Denver Museum of
Nature & Science Planetarium – Black Holes. Con-
tact caitlin@ccmrd.com or call 303-567-4822 for
more information.

26. Format Changes Monthly. Bring your own bags
or bags provided at the Lodge! Entry fee is $10 per
person. Minimum 8 – maximum 20 players with
20 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the
Elks Club Building Preservation Fund. 10 or less
– Payout for 1st place is 50 percent and 2nd place
is 30 percent; 12 or more – Payout for 1st place is
40 percent, 2nd 25 percent, 3rd 15 percent. Mini
Pizzas available for purchase – Free Popcorn. Text
303-349-2052 for sign-up and more info.

CCMRD Adult Pickleball — Clear Creek
Recreation Center. Skills and Drills for Intermedi-
ates on Tuesdays, 8 – 10 a.m. $10 per class covering
a variety of topics to improve your game. Pickleball
Basics for Beginners on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 12 noon,
$10 per class is for anyone who wants to learn the
basics of the game – forehand, backhand, serve,
volley and scoring. Saturday Open Play, 10 a.m. to
noon, for Intermediate players. All equipment is
provided or bring your own. Advance registration
is required for classes and open play. Check out
the Open Play schedule and register for classes at
clearcreekrecreation.com.

Clear Creek Library District — The libraries
will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19. Monster Mash
Party for kids and teens, Idaho Springs Library,
Thursday, Feb. 22, 5-7 p.m. Get ready to rock your
best monster mash costume and show off your
dance moves. Don’t miss the fun! Food, face paint-
ing, dancing, and games. Call 303-567-2020 for
more info.

Devil’s Gate History Club — Georgetown
Community Center, 613 6th St., Friday, Feb. 16, 7
p.m. “Louis Dupuy – Farm to Table” presented by
Kevin Kuharik.

XCEL Energy Dam Warning Siren Test-
ing Program — Wednesday, March 6, 10 a.m.,
then on the first Wednesday of every month. Xcel
Energy has installed four early warning sirens to
notify people in the town of Georgetown of po-
tential flooding due to the unlikely event of a dam
failure at Xcel Energy’s Cabin Creek or Georgetown
hydroelectric plants. The warning system installa-
tion is a federal requirement. In collaboration with
the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of
Georgetown, and Xcel Energy, Clear Creek County
will provide notice to the residents of Georgetown
ahead of the tests, so they know what to expect
and when. Learn more at www.clearcreekcounty.
us/1486/Georgetown-Monthly-Siren-Testing.

Quill & Spill with Local Author Lisa
Manifold — Wednesday, Feb. 21, 6 – 7:30 p.m.,
Idaho Springs Public Library; Saturday, Feb. 24,
9:30 – 11 a.m. Need some help plotting? Stuck in
the middle? Join us for any or all six Quill & Spill
sessions at the Idaho Springs Public Library to
discuss your project, share ideas, and connect with
other local authors! Hosted by local author Lisa
Manifold. Light refreshments will be provided. To
register, email chris@cccld.org by the day before
the event.

Corn Hole at the Idaho Springs Elks Club
— 1600 Colorado Blvd., 6 p.m. monthly on the last
Friday of each month – Feb. 23, March 29, April

If you have regularly scheduled meetings or upcoming special events that are open to the pub-
lic, we want to add them to the CCC Community Calendar. Please email the who, what, when,
where, why and how in 75 words or less, exactly as you would want it printed, to amy@week-
lyregistercall.com . Please send information at least two weeks in advance of your event.

Another scam

February 15, 2024
5 posible Swift wagers for Super Bowl Sunday

5 posible Swift wagers for Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl annually
attracts the most wagering
of any American sporting
event—second internation-
ally to the FIFA World Cup
championship game.

(?) on four occasions, all in
the first half. This included
once in a replay of the
Chiefs’ second touchdown
(a two-yard run by Isiah
Pacheco on which Kelce
sealed off a would-be tack-
ler with a well-executed
block) and with 3:42 left

reaction of the world’s pop
icon to the performances
by two of music’s other
megastars.

And the shows of affection
after the Baltimore game
appeared to include Taylor
mouthing the words, “I
love you.”

1.5-point favorite. A few
days later, bettors had
made the 49ers the two-
point choice.

* * *
Prop Bet No. 3— Will
Travis propose to Taylor at
midfield after the game?

With Taylor watching in
person, the Chiefs beat Mi-
ami, Buffalo and Baltimore
to reach SB LVIII with a
14-6 record. San Francisco
is the top seed in the NFC
and, with playoff wins over
Green Bay and Detroit,
stands 14-5,

My choice: Quite a set-
ting, but this is HIS show,
if not his swan song. Their
“moment” would be over-
shadowed in the post-game
hoopla, especially if there’s
a Kansas City victory. Any-
thing’s possible, but I don’t
think so.

If Taylor Swift shows up
in Las Vegas this Sunday
to root for Travis Kelce and
the Chiefs in SB
LVIII, this Su-
per Bowl could
offer a whole
new dimension
of betting for a
whole new au-
dience—name-
ly, Swifties.

If you believe widespread
rumors, this could be the
last game of Kelce’s illus-
trious pro football career.
There’s also a report that
he popped the question on
New Year’s Eve, with plans
to announce their engage-
ment after the Super Bowl.

in the second
quarter as part
of a promo for
live coverage
of the Gram-
mys a week
later.

My choice: Taylor will be
there. Need I say more?

* * *
Who will win? Kansas
City opened as a slim

My choice:
If this is the
most-watched
SB ever be-
cause of her,
then take the
Over on this
one, too.

Why wouldn’t
she be there?
you ask.

February 8, 2024
Clear Crek County Comunity

Clear Crek County Comunity

Event Calendar

Friday Adventures with CCMRD — No school
on Fridays? Put your child in our Friday Adventures
Program. We will be exploring all around Clear Creek
County and going on several field trips! Drop off at the
Clear Creek Rec Center between 7:30 and 9 a.m., pick
up between 4 and 5:30 p.m. For ages 5-15. $45 per
child. Friday, Feb. 9 – Ice Skating at Evergreen Lake;
Friday, Feb. 16 – Denver Zoo; Friday, Feb. 23 – Ham-
monds Candy Tour; Friday, March 1 – Colorado History
Museum; Friday, March 8 – Denver Museum of Nature
& Science Planetarium – Black Holes. Contact caitlin@
ccmrd.com or call 303-567-4822 for more information.

share ideas, and connect with other local authors!
Hosted by local author Lisa Manifold. Light refresh-
ments will be provided. To register, email chris@cccld.
org by the day before the event.

Corn Hole at the Idaho Springs Elks Club —
1600 Colorado Blvd., 6 p.m. monthly on the last Friday
of each month – Feb. 23, March 29, April 26. For-
mat Changes Monthly. Bring your own bags or bags
provided at the Lodge! Entry fee is $10 per person.
Minimum 8 – maximum 20 players with 20 percent of
the proceeds will be donated to the Elks Club Building
Preservation Fund. 10 or less – Payout for 1st place is
50 percent and 2nd place is 30 percent; 12 or more –
Payout for 1st place is 40 percent, 2nd 25 percent, 3rd
15 percent. Mini Pizzas available for purchase – Free
Popcorn. Text 303-349-2052 for sign-up and more
info.

Kids Night Out with CCMRD — Clear Creek
Recreation Center, 98 12th Avenue, Idaho Springs,
Fridays – Feb. 9, March 8, April 12 and May 10, 5:30
– 8:30 p.m. Kids will enjoy a pool party, dinner and a
movie in their jammies. Bring kids dressed in bathing
suits, a towel, a wet swimsuit bag, a water bottle, pa-
jamas, and a blanket/pillow if desired. $27 per child,
ages 5 to 15 years old. For more info, call 303-567-
4822 or email caitlin@ccmrd.org.

CCMRD Adult Pickleball — Clear Creek Rec-
reation Center. Skills and Drills for Intermediates on
Tuesdays, 8 – 10 a.m. $10 per class covering a variety
of topics to improve your game. Pickleball Basics for
Beginners on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, $10 per
class is for anyone who wants to learn the basics of the
game – forehand, backhand, serve, volley and scoring.
Saturday Open Play, 10 a.m. to noon, for Intermediate
players. All equipment is provided or bring your own.
Advance registration is required for classes and open
play. Check out the Open Play schedule and register
for classes at clearcreekrecreation.com.

Mill Creek Valley Historical Society Mardi
Gras Party — Saturday Feb. 10, 5 – 9:30 p.m. 150
Dumont Lane, Dumont. The Mill Creek Valley Histori-
cal Society is celebrating Mardi Gras at the old school.
Entry fee is $20 per person, cash only at the door. Deli-
cious, homemade southern food and a cash bar serving
wine, Louisiana Beer and Hurricanes. Drawings and
best costume prizes. Benefit for MCVHS, visit www.
mcvhs.org for more information.

Clear Creek Library District Book Groups
— Idaho Springs Library: Monday, Feb. 12, 4 p.m.
– Where the Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas; John
Tomay Memorial Library – Georgetown: Thursday,
Feb. 15, 3 p.m. – River of the Gods by Candace Millard.
Contact libby@cccld.org for questions or go to cccld.
org to reserve books.

STEAM LuvBug Coding — Idaho Springs Public
Library, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Explore
beginning coding and a fun coding craft for Valentine’s
fun! Please bring your Chromebook so you can work
on your projects at home! Snack included. 12 kids max;
4th-5th-6th graders. Email chris@cccld.org to register
and for more information.

Friends of Georgetown Library Annual Soup
Lunch — John Tomay Memorial Library, Georgetown.
Thursday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. oin the Friends
for a free soup lunch.

XCEL Energy Dam Warning Siren Testing
Program — Wednesday, March 6, 10 a.m., then on
the first Wednesday of every month. Xcel Energy has
installed four early warning sirens to notify people in
the town of Georgetown of potential flooding due to the
unlikely event of a dam failure at Xcel Energy’s Cabin
Creek or Georgetown hydroelectric plants. The warning
system installation is a federal requirement. In col-
laboration with the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office,
the Town of Georgetown, and Xcel Energy, Clear Creek
County will provide notice to the residents of George-
town ahead of the tests, so they know what to expect
and when. Learn more at clearcreekcounty.us/1486/
Georgetown-Monthly-Siren-Testing.

Devil’s Gate History Club — Friday, Jan. 19,
7 p.m., Georgetown Community Center, 613 6th St.,
Mudlarking the Thames River, presented by Anne
Marie Cannon.

Quill & Spill with Local Author Lisa Mani-
fold — Wednesday, Feb. 21, 6 – 7:30 p.m., Idaho
Springs Public Library; Saturday, Feb. 24, 9:30 – 11
a.m. Need some help plotting? Stuck in the middle?
Join us for any or all six Quill & Spill sessions at the
Idaho Springs Public Library to discuss your project,

If you have regularly scheduled meetings or upcoming special events that are open to the pub-
lic, we want to add them to the CCC Community Calendar. Please email the who, what, when,
where, why and how in 75 words or less, exactly as you would want it printed, to amy@week-
lyregistercall.com . Please send information at least two weeks in advance of your event.

February 8, 2024
Rock blasting, other projects could impact I-70 driving

Rock blasting, other projects could impact I-70 driving

Projects between Floyd Hill and Den-
ver

Rock-blasting work restarted along I-70
Floyd Hill yesterday (Wednesday), with the
next blasting scheduled for Valentine’s Day,
Wednesday, Feb. 14. In addition, another new
project announced along the interstate near
Golden also may impact travel between Gilpin
and Clear Creek Counties and the metro Den-
ver area.

CDOT
said some
lane re-
strictions
will occur
at various
times at
both project
locations. The new
escape ramp project is expected to be com-
pleted in late May or early June.

Meanwhile, two other CDOT projects
between C-470 and Floyd Hill continue
to impact traffic between Floyd Hill and
C-470 in Golden.

This week and next, parts of I-70 and
U.S. 40 near Genesee will be subject to
closing so CDOT can continue construc-
tion of a wildlife underpass along the
interstate.

Photo courtesy CDOT.

CDOT’s blasting next week along Floyd Hill
will stop traffic on I-70 for 20 minutes. When
blasting occurs, motorists should e xpect a
traffic hold and up to 45 minutes of delay.
A series of airhorn signals will precede each
detonation to warn people in the area. No al-
ternative routes are advised during the traffic
stoppages.

The early-February closures are
scheduled between 7 a.m. and 5:30
p.m. Mondays through Fridays
through Feb. 17. Drivers access-
ing U.S. 40 eastbound can detour
around the closure by using east-
bound I-70 to the Lookout Moun-
tain exit. Westbound drivers can-
not take the exits at Genesee and
Mount Vernon Road.

Project overview
The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project will build a
third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function
as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane
bottleneck heading down Floyd Hill westbound. The
new toll lane will begin near the top of Floyd Hill west-
bound and will be a fly-over lane that will end near the
Veterans Memorial Tunnels.

I-70 travelers should know that narrow-
er lanes and shoulders continue to be in
the $700 million project work zone near
Floyd Hill. The transportation department
recommends that motorists follow posted
speed limits and don’t drive distracted.
Slowing down and allowing extra space
between the vehicle ahead of you is ad-
vised.

• Constructing a missing two-mile section of the
frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho
Springs.

The wildlife underpass area has
been ongoing for months near the
top of Genesse Hill and is expected
to be completed this spring. On
unannounced days, the left lane,
heading westbound, is closed to
accommodate the work. Motorists
should read the orange construc-
tion signs heading up I-70 from
Morrison to learn if the work may
impact the traffic flow.

• Building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for
slow-moving vehicles. Improving traffic flow and
access at interchanges and intersections within
the project limits.

Nearby, construction crews continue
working along Highway 40 near the Floyd
Hill/Beaver Brook interchange and at the
highway’s junction with County Road 65.
New roundabouts are being built in both
areas on the north side of I-70. Motorists
are advised to watch for traffic signs and
potential temporary detours.

• Improving sight distance on roadway curves.
Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail. Imple-
menting environmental mitigation to create safer
wildlife movements and improve air and water
quality and stream conditions an d recreation.

The larger project includes re-
building the eastbound emergency
truck escape ramp between Mt.
Vernon Road (Exit 256) and the
Morrison exit (Exit 259). There will
be overnight double-lane closures
on eastbound I-70 in the vicin-
ity. The emergency ramp has been
closed for weeks.

Driver cautions
CDOT said motorists should expect narrower lanes
and shoulders, reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph
and increased truck traffic entering and exiting the work
zones. All construction activities are weather-dependent
and subject to change. During construction, the exist-
ing I-70 travel lanes will remain open in each direction
during peak daytime travel hours. Lane closure hours
for the duration of construction will vary based on the
season, day of the week, number of lanes being closed
and travel direction.

Highway 6 restrictions
Along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway
6), single-land closures are planned from
5 a.m. to 7 p.m. between mile points 267
and 271.5.

The planned restrictions are part of the
ongoing Peak to Plains Huntsman Gulch
trail project that began last year in Jef-
ferson County, between Highway 119 and
Golden.

The escape ramp work will in-
clude:

Project sections
The Floyd Hill project is divided into three sections.
The East Section is from the west of Evergreen to mid-
way down Floyd Hill near the Black Hawk interchange
(Exit 244). The West Section is from near Exit 243
(Central City Parkway) to the Veterans Memorial Tun-
nels near Idaho Springs. The Central Section is from
the middle of Floyd Hill through Exit 243 (Central
City/Hidden Valley exit). The east section began this
spring and continues through June 2026. The West
section is expected to start this fall and will conclude
in the fall of 2027. The Central section has begun and
will continue into 2028. The East part of the project
includes installing two new traffic roundabouts along
Highway 40, at County Road 65 and Homestead Road.
Flagmen control traffic during some of the daytime
work.

• New signage.

New I-70 Golden closure
Westbound I-70 near Golden will experi-
ence random lane closures until later this
month during weekday hours between 7
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Drivers accessing west-
bound I-70 can avoid the closure by trav-
eling east on U.S. 40 or I-70 to Lookout
Mountain and taking the on-ramp to the
interstate.

• Larger barriers between the ramp
and the steep embankment.

• Additional cameras.

• New ramp lighting.

• A new design intended to allow late
entry for truckers who miss the
escape ramp entrance.

For information on the Highway 6/Clear Creek
Canyon project being conducted by Jeffco, visit www.
jeffco.us/P2P . Phone information is available at 720-
893-0403. The email address is peak2plains@gmail.
com. For real-time travel information, visit www.
COtrip.org.

Drilling soil nails into hillside along Floyd Hill with traffic moving on Interstate 70.

February 8, 2024
Black Hawk gaming revenues, sports bets rose in December

Black Hawk gaming revenues, sports bets rose in December

By Don Ireland

During Armbright’s
childhood, the first floor of
the former church served
as the neighboring school’s
gymnasium, including a
basketball court. Recalled
the councilwoman, “We
were a little naughty. We
weren’t supposed to climb
up the rickety old set of
steps inside, but we did.
We’d go up and play in the
attic – where the church
bell was.”

experienced
a 1.30 per-
cent decline
during the
six months, a
loss of $1.113
million. Com-
bined, the state realized a
.25 percent decline over the
six months from one year
earlier, earning $1.36 mil-
lion less.

Senior Reporter

According to newly-
released reports, gaming
revenues bounced back for
Black Hawk during Decem-
ber.

gered $71,430 million
during the month, a 17.74
percent jump over Novem-
ber, establishing a record
for $608.488 million in
wagers. In December 2022,
those who spent money
on sports betting wagered
$518.089 million.

Black Hawk’s 15 casinos
reported an 8.76 percent –
or $5.875 million rise – in
Adjusted Gross Proceeds
during the final month of
2023 compared to Decem-
ber 2022. AGP, or Adjusted
Gross Proceeds, is the
amount wagered by players
less the winnings paid to
players.

While Black Hawk’s AGP
has shown losses and gains
during the first six months
of Colorado’s fiscal gam-
ing year, the city’s casinos
entered 2024 slightly
ahead of the same period
in 2023. During the month,
Black Hawk provided
85.05 percent of the state’s
casino AGP revenues, while
Cripple Creek contributed
9.73 percent and Central
City 5.22 percent.

Today, the school building
retains its vintage appear-
ance on the exterior, but
changes are evident to those
who step inside. “I think it’s
wonderful. It’s just wonder-
ful. For some reason, there
seems like there’s more
room in it today compared
to the past,” commented Al-
derman Armbright. “When
I was growing up, my mom
and dad had the Gilpin Ho-
tel. I used to think that was
so big, too.”

Colorado collected
$3.682 million in taxes
from sports bets in Decem-
ber, representing a 147.27
percent increase from a
month earlier. It also was
a 42.52 percent increase
from December 2022
($2.584 million).

While Black Hawk fin-
ished the first six months
of the Colorado gaming
revenue with improved re-
sults from the period from
July 1 to Dec. 30 in 2022,
the gaming towns of Cen-
tral City and Cripple Creek
(Teller County) weren’t
quite as fortunate.

During December, NFL
football and NBA hoops
accounted for the most-
bet-upon sports, with 26.9
percent and 23.9 percent,
respectively, waged on
games. However, parlay/
combination bets repre-
sented the largest single
category – 28.5 percent
– of where the month was
played. Behind them, the
other most popular bets
were NCAA football (6.4
percent) and NCAA basket-
ball (4.2 percent).

Black Hawk saw AGP
increase in September,
November and December,
while declines occurred in
July, August and October.
Before July, Black Hawk
experienced an unprec-
edented winning streak, as
AGP set records for 26 of
27 months.

Central City’s AGP de-
clined by 0.34 percent, a
loss of $21,296, compared
to Dec. 2022, while Crip-
ple Creek showed a 5.89
percent rise, or $755,598.
For the final six months of
2023, Black Hawk expe-
rienced a .041 percent
increase (representing a
$1.759 million gain). At
the same time, Central’s
revenues stumbled by 4.77
percent, a loss of $2.009
million. Cripple Creek

Mayor David Spellman
grew up in Black Hawk
and – as an avid historian
of his city – recounted
the history of the build-
ing. “Construction on the
Black Hawk Schoolhouse
commenced on July 20,
1869, and was completed
by Dec. 24, 1869. The first
classes began on Feb. 28,
1870. The total cost of the
schoolhouse, including
furniture, was $14,538. It

“The Black Hawk School-
house missed its centennial
anniversary of operating
as an educational building
by 10 years as the school-
house closed its doors and
the last students left the
classrooms in the spring of
1960,” said Spellman.

Sports betting
Colorado saw record-set-
ting sports betting income
for the second consecutive
month in December.

(See related story on
how the old school is used
by the Black Hawk Police
Department today.)

According to state fig-
ures, sports bettors wa-

February 8, 2024