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E‑470 director tells Commerce City council authority is locally controlled and toll‑funded; widening to US‑85 next
Summary
Joe Donahue, executive director of the E‑470 Public Highway Authority, told Commerce City council the tollway is locally controlled and funded by tolls, described plans to widen portions to six lanes and to add interchanges near Commerce City, and said investments will support trail connections and improved customer service.
Joe Donahue, executive director of the E‑470 Public Highway Authority, briefed Commerce City council on Dec. 1 on the tollway’s history, governance and near‑term expansion plans.
Donahue said E‑470 is “locally controlled and…fully funded by toll dollars,” and outlined where toll revenue goes: “28¢ of a dollar goes to pay in the debt…20¢ goes to just operations, maintenance, toll collection…and 52¢ of every dollar we raise goes right back to the highway.” He told council the authority averages about 155,000 drivers per day and processes roughly 333,000 toll transactions.
Donahue described recent and planned work along the Corridor. He said the authority has completed widening to 104th Avenue and will start construction next year to widen from 104th to US‑85 to six lanes, followed by work from US‑85 to I‑25. He also identified interchanges near Commerce City — including at 88th Avenue and planned work toward 112th Avenue — as priorities for local access and future economic development.
Council members asked about trails, toll discounts and truck programs. Donahue said E‑470’s trail currently extends to about 64th Avenue and that authorities are coordinating with nearby jurisdictions to extend the trail to 88th and into the Adams County Regional Park. On discounts, he said authorities study programs for residents and commercial discounts at off‑peak times but warned that removing tolls would undermine the authority’s ability to maintain the roadway.
Donahue also described customer‑service and technology upgrades: improved license‑plate reading, a new express toll website launching in the coming 30–60 days, online dispute tools, and an “advanced traffic management system” using AI to detect incidents and debris.
Council members and staff said they will continue to coordinate on interchange timing, lanes and the potential for shade/lighting on trails as demand develops. Donahue invited council to follow up with staff to explore local economic development opportunities linked to E‑470 improvements.
The presentation concluded with council praise for the overview and requests for follow‑up on trail amenities, interchange timing and discount feasibility; Donahue said the authority will share further studies and an upcoming investment‑grade report.
