Minimal delays are expected from an effort to eventually change two roads directly south of the El Jebel intersection.
Construction began April 1 on a nearly $4.52 million project, which is funded by Eagle County and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), that will relocate Valley Road around the west and south sides of the existing RFTA parking lot. Sopris Village Drive will then be reconfigured, according to Eagle County.
The parking lot itself, set to be expanded to the north, will also include 15 new spots reserved for electric vehicle charging, Eagle County Senior Engineer Rickie Davies recently told The Sopris Sun.
Davies said that a new access drive being built between the RFTA parking lot and the old MovieLand 7 movie theater will create an egress point to Valley Road for Sopris Village. The nearby subdivision consists of 177 single-family homes built from 1975-1979, according to its homeowners’ association.
As of Sunday, Glenwood Springs-based contractor Gould Construction had a small portion of curbs at the access road at the east end of the RFTA parking lot filled with concrete. The road base currently consists of dirt.
“There will always be two accesses out of the subdivision,” Davies said.
Davies said the remainder of Sopris Village Drive toward the west will close once the access road is complete. Eagle County is encouraging motorists to use the alternate routes of Valley Road to the north or Willits Lane to East Valley Road to the south to access areas normally accessed through the Highway 82 and El Jebel Road intersection.
“Valley Road is going around the parking lot and connects to the existing Valley Road,” Davies said. “And then when we do El Jebel Road, that will be closed and the new Valley Road will be the detour.”
The reconfiguration of El Jebel Road will be the last phase of the project, which is slated to fully end Oct. 30, 2026.
“This project will improve safety and operations of the East Valley Road and Highway 82 intersection by giving free-flow access to the existing signal,” Davies said in a news release. “This project will protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of and visitors to Eagle County.”
As of last week, impacts to traffic included shoulder work and flaggers in place at Sopris Village Drive, according to Eagle County. Flaggers were also in place for Valley Road utility trenching. Meanwhile, nearby sidewalk access has been partly closed at Valley Road and Sopris Village Drive.
Further project construction is permitted 7 am-7 pm Monday through Friday. The contractor is also approved to work this coming Saturday, June 13.
Eagle County said no work that impacts traffic shall occur on holidays or on Fridays prior to holiday weekends. Saturday and Sunday work will not be allowed without the authorization of Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Eagle County engineer.
For updates or further information about the project at El Jebel intersection, visit eaglecounty.us or call its hotline at 970-328-3567.