I-25/I-225 Southeast Corridor (T-REX), Denver, Colorado (Completed)

Completed I-25/I-225 Interchange and Light-Rail Transit Line Courtesy of the Colorado Department of Transportation

The T-REX's initial footsteps can be traced back to a 1992 congestion study commissioned by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). The study found that traffic volume along the corridor had exceeded its maximum capacity of 180,000 vehicles per day and, within a few years, the freeway would be near gridlock most of the day. Adding to the gloomy forecast of gridlock, planners projected that 150,000 new jobs would be added in the downtown area and at the huge Denver Tech Center, which is 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the south, over the next 20 years. The study not only recommended widening the freeway by several lanes, but it also suggested incorporating some type of mass transit into any future improvements.

In response, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Area Regional Transportation District in cooperation with the FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration, widened and reconstructed 18 miles of I-25 and I-225, and constructed 19 miles of light-rail transit line with 13 new rail stations. The roadway portion of this project was completed in August 2006 and the light-rail transit line opened for service in November 2006. The T-REX project was completed on time and on budget. While the light-rail transit ridership exceeds expectations and traffic volumes exceed the volumes prior to construction, all T-REX components are operating smoothly and as planned.

To learn about other major highway projects in the United States, please visit FHWA's Major Project website.