Council agrees to continue I‑70/29 Road interchange work with county, seeks CDOT/FHWA approvals

City Council on March 5 authorized staff to continue coordinated work with Mesa County on the proposed Interstate 70 interchange at 29 Road, directing staff to pursue CDOT and Federal Highway Administration approvals and to use available congressionally directed spending to advance design to preliminary stages.

Trent (city engineering staff) briefed council on the project history and funding to date, noting that the city and county have invested more than $2.2 million since 2019 on planning and environmental work and that a remaining balance of roughly $800,000 on the current contract would support further CDOT/FHWA submittals to secure formal approvals. He said the final design estimate for the interchange and 29 Road corridor work is about $3.4 million; current federal earmark and matching funds can be used to advance the interchange to roughly 30% design and take 29 Road improvements to a preliminary phase.

Why it matters: an interchange at I‑70 and 29 Road would reshape circulation in northeast Grand Junction and support planned and potential development on 29 Road’s corridor. However, opponents say the cost, neighborhood impacts, noise, and uncertain funding warrant pause. Proponents said finishing environmental approvals and preliminary design would strengthen future grant and funding requests and produce shovel‑ready plans if voters or granting agencies agree to fund construction.

Council debate covered timing and local priorities. Some members argued for ending work given the November rejection of a bond proposal tied to the interchange, saying continuing design could be perceived as disregarding voter direction. Others said the losses from stopping now would be larger: replacing a near-complete approval package could be harder and costlier later, and finishing the CDOT/FHWA approval process would produce clearer, defensible answers about feasibility, environmental impacts, and exact costs to present to voters or grantors.

Key financial and schedule facts presented by staff included: - $2.2 million (city and county combined) spent on planning and PEL/NEPA work since 2019. - Approximately $800,000 remaining in the current contract for revisions and CDOT/FHWA submissions. - Final design estimated at approximately $3.4 million; existing federal-directed funds and local match would cover about $2.4 million to advance 30% design on the interchange and preliminary design on 29 Road.

Council action: by roll call 4–2 the council authorized staff to continue partnership work with Mesa County on CDOT/FHWA approvals and to follow up on further direction about final design and construction funding later. Council members voting in favor said the technical approvals and a 30% design package would make future funding applications stronger and would better inform voters and officials. Dissenting members said the city should respect the recent ballot outcome and refrain from advancing a project without a clear funding plan.

Next steps: staff will complete the remaining environmental submittals to CDOT and FHWA and prepare the 30% interchange/29 Road preliminary design work under the congressionally directed spending program. Council and staff said future funding decisions — including whether to seek construction dollars or to bring a bond measure to voters — would follow only after the approval package and updated cost estimates are complete.