U.S. Highway 287 Relocation

With the new footprint of the future Glade Reservoir, about 7 miles of U.S. Highway 287 north of Ted’s Place will be relocated. The approximate route for this relocation is shown to the right. The highway will be relocated as a two-lane arterial roadway, and construction of the relocated highway will be completed prior to the completion of Glade Reservoir to avoid a road closure and associated displacement of traffic onto other roads.

Northern Water is working with the Colorado Department of Transportation, the property owners and Larimer County to ensure proper access for the affected property owners is in place as the design for the relocated highway is developed. The preliminary approach for providing access will be a frontage road that would provide a single point of access to the highway for multiple land owners.

Additionally, 35-acre or larger parcels typically have simplified water-well permitting standards. Any right-of-way acquisitions that would reduce parcel sizes below that 35-acre threshold will be completed using easements or through a land division process approved to maintain well permitting standards.

A route study for this relocation was completed as part of the development of the project’s environmental impact statement. As part of that process, the proposed route was presented to the public for review and comment during three separate periods:

• At an alternative screening open house in 2004
• As part of three environmental impact statement public comment periods in 2008, 2015 and 2018
• At two associated sets of public hearings in 2008 and 2015