After more than four years of construction, the Highway 70 cover project in Denver, Colorado, wrapped up at the end of 2022. This project reconstructed a 10-mile stretch of I-70 known as the “Viaduct,” a section of I-70 that runs through the Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods, building new express lanes, widening the highway, and placing a 4-acre park including a full-sized sports field over a portion of the new construction.
“This 4-acre park includes a playground, splash pad, amphitheater, and community spaces, with the key feature of the park being a lighted multi-purpose synthetic turf soccer field protected with Brock shock pads,” said Kent Sondergrath, Design and Construction Supervisor for Denver Parks and Recreation.
Safety was the priority when it came to the field, in huge part because of the neighboring elementary school, which is one of the primary users of the field on a day-to-day basis for gym class. A shock pad beneath the turf will provide a more consistent and stable surface and help reduce the likelihood of an impact injury happening on the field. “The Brock PowerBase/YSR shock pads were selected because of its unparalleled safety features and to help ensure the field would be safe for the school and community,” added Sondergrath.
The Colorado Department of Transportation, Kiewit Corporation, Denver Parks & Rec, and Denver Public Schools partnered to construct this $1.2 billion project to improve the traffic flow in this area and provide the local community and nearby Swansea Elementary School with a safe place to congregate and have some fun.
“Brock USA is proud to be included in such a great project,” said Julie Trull, Rocky Mountain Region Vice President at Brock USA. “We jumped at the opportunity to help create a safe sports field for the nearby elementary school and the community at large for many years to come.”
The park and field are free and open to the general public. However, local residents and nearby schools may be the most excited to utilize these facilities. “This cover is a major asset to both the school and the community,” said Swansea Principal Vanessa Trussell. “Our students, teachers, and the entire community look forward to using this amazing soccer field and having our families enjoy the events lawn and other spaces this park will provide as it bridges the gap over I-70 and connects our communities.” (Per Denver Post)
CDOT selected Kiewit Corporation to run this project back in 2017 from design, build, finance, and operation standpoints. The funding for this project mainly came from subsets of the Colorado Department of Transportation, with the bulk ($850 million) coming specifically from the Colorado Bridge Enterprise, a program by CDOT that focuses on bridge repair and construction. The City of Denver also added $37 million to the project. The cover itself, where the park and turf field is built, was $125 million of the project’s $1.2 billion total.
ABOUT BROCK USA: Brock USA was founded in 1998 as a source for player safety products. Today, our mission remains the same: To protect the athlete and protect the game by inventing innovative products for artificial turf backed by science, research, and education.
