WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 35
FREE
I-25 frontage road segment to close for months Castle Rock to boost Part of west frontage road in Castle Rock area will be relocated and upgraded spending on police, fire
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As crews move closer to building a new Interstate 25 interchange in the south Castle Rock area, they’ll also make changes to adjacent frontage streets in an area where the roadway has seen safety concerns. The frontage road that runs along the west side of the interstate is a major road for locals. A large part of it will be relocated and undergo upgrades in the process. The project comes with a long road closure that could last well into 2025. During a town hall meeting last year, George Teal, one of Douglas County’s elected commissioners, mentioned “the tragedy of the three deaths that we’ve seen” over a handful of months on the highway frontage. Officials say the unfolding project isn’t driven by safety concerns. But it could help make the road safer. The project is necessary because of development in parts of Castle Rock. The project was envisioned decades ago, “when Dawson Trails and the Crystal Valley developments were annexed by the town,” said Melissa Hoelting, a spokesperson for Castle Rock. SEE CLOSURE, P4
2025 budget will total nearly $400M BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Signs mark a road closure on the frontage road west of Interstate 25, seen on Sept. 6 in the PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD Castle Rock area.
VOICES: 20 | LIFE: 22 | CALENDAR: 25 | SPORTS: 28
Castle Rock is planning an almost $400 million budget for 2025, with significant investments in public safety funding and water projects. The $391 million budget dedicates $198 million to operations, $159 million for capital projects and $34 million for debt. The budget assumes that property taxes will stay the same and, optimistically, that voters in November will pass a .2% sales tax increase to fund growth in the police and fire departments. Town council has initially approved the budget and will finalize it at a Sept. 19 meeting. SEE BUDGET, P7
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