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Commerce City approves preliminary engineering contract for East 120th Avenue/US‑85 interchange
Summary
City Council voted unanimously (two absences) to award a professional services agreement for preliminary engineering and potential property acquisition work for the East 120th Avenue/US‑85 interchange. Council members pressed staff for clarity about property acquisition, timeline and public outreach before design or construction.
Commerce City Council on May 19 approved a professional services agreement with Felsburg Holt & Ullevig (FHU) for preliminary engineering and exploration of right-of-way for the East 120th Avenue and U.S. 85 interchange project.
The agreement, authorized by Resolution 2025‑052, covers data collection, risk assessment and preliminary engineering work; it does not fund design or construction. City Manager Jason Rogers told the council the two‑year, two‑month contract is intended to develop a functional preliminary design that will position the city to compete for future funding and to coordinate with Brighton, Adams County and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
Council members sought assurances on property acquisition and oversight. Council Member Douglas pressed whether the contract included property acquisition; Rogers and staff said the bulk of the funds are for preliminary engineering and site data collection, and that exploration of right-of-way needs — not immediate purchases — is part of the scope granted by the award. Rogers said actual acquisitions and design would come later and be brought back to council for review when specific design plans and cost breakdowns are available.
Mayor Pro Tem Susan Noble and Council Member Douglas also said they expect consistent updates and transparent accounting for any funds used toward property or acquisition efforts. Rogers said the city will coordinate with partner jurisdictions and return to council when the project reaches design and funding stages.
The council vote to award the contract was unanimous with two absences. The contract term was described as two years and two months for the preliminary work, and staff said citizen outreach and detailed design would follow only after preliminary engineering and funding progress.
Why it matters: the corridor is a high‑profile multimodal and freight route; preliminary engineering is the first formal step that can unlock state and federal design and construction funding. Council members emphasized oversight and public engagement before the city moves into design or property purchase stages.
Votes and next steps: staff will complete the preliminary engineering and risk assessment, pursue additional funding, and return to council with detailed design proposals and cost breakdowns before any property acquisitions or construction commitments.
