Intersection improvements and pavement reconstruction work are anticipated to begin Monday, April 13, at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Emery Street. The road construction project will be completed in coordination with rail crossing improvement work by BNSF. The overall project is anticipated to last approximately six months.

Travelers can expect reduced lane widths along 1st Avenue at Emery Street as well as occasional delays due to equipment moving in and out of the work area. Additionally, Emery Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues will be closed to through traffic for the duration of the project. Second Avenue is recommended as a detour route. Portable message boards, detour signs and flaggers will help with navigation. Access to area businesses will be maintained throughout the reconstruction.

The current intersection and railroad crossing is marked only by stop signs and simple X-shaped white and black railroad signs known as Highway-Rail Grade Crossing or Crossbuck signs. Once complete, the intersection will feature safety enhancements in the form of traffic and pedestrian signals, marked crosswalks and stop lines, and sidewalks. Emery Street will also include a center divided median north of the railroad tracks.

“This rebuilt intersection will provide a smoother, safer crossing for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists,” said Micah Zogorski, City of Longmont Senior Civil Engineer.

The roadway improvements portion of the project will be completed by Platteville-based Mountain Constructors.

BNSF will replace the 3-track crossing with smoother, concrete-surface crossing panels as well as install signal gates and flashing lights at the Emery Street railroad crossing. These railroad safety features will facilitate future quiet zone designations within the city.

Total cost for the project is estimated at $2.4 million, which includes approximately $1.4 million for the roadway work and $1 million for railroad surface crossing improvements and new railroad signals and gates. Funding comes from a combination of federal and local development funding, along with matching funds from the City’s 3/4-cent Street Fund Sales and Use Tax. Street maintenance and repair projects such as this one are a major use of the 3/4-cent Street Fund Sales and Use Tax, which was made permanent by voters in 2019.

Learn more about the 1st and Emery Improvements project at bit.ly/1st-emery-intersection or by calling 303-651-8416.