CDOT’s project information, updated Aug. 8, 2026, says the closures are in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the project limits. The work is changing travel conditions near a developing part of Aurora and along a route used by people traveling toward Denver International Airport and the Colorado Aerotropolis.

Where the closures are located

The project is on I-70 east of E-470, with Aurora identified as the nearest city. The work area is also described as part of the Aurora and Adams County development area.

In addition to the I-70 shoulder closures, construction affects East Colfax Avenue and the I-70 Frontage Road. The closure information applies within the project limits. It does not establish that the entire I-70 corridor is closed or affected.

CDOT has not provided a specific traffic-delay estimate in the supplied project information. The agency also has not identified a new incident on Aug. 8 or supplied a separate end date for each individual closure.

Work will extend beyond daytime hours

Standard construction hours are generally 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. CDOT also expects overnight and weekend work as the interchange project advances.

Possible overnight work is listed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Overnight lane closures may also occur from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. Those schedules mean drivers could encounter changing conditions outside the project’s regular daytime work period.

The project began in August 2025 and is scheduled to run through November 2026. That timeline means the shoulder closures and additional construction activity are part of a longer project rather than a short-term response to a newly reported crash or other Aug. 8 incident.

Westbound traffic shift planned for September

CDOT plans a minor westbound I-70 traffic shift later in September after temporary barriers are installed. The agency has not provided a precise date for that shift.

The shift is a planned future change, not a completed traffic move. It is also separate from the project’s broader completion timeline. CDOT’s information does not provide a final completion date earlier than the November 2026 target.

Why the project matters in Aurora

The interchange is intended to improve access to Aurora and Adams County development and strengthen connectivity to Denver International Airport. That places the active construction directly alongside an area where transportation access is tied to ongoing development.

For Aurora commuters, airport travelers and people using East Colfax Avenue or the frontage road, the practical issue is the duration and changing schedule of the work. Drivers should account for the continuing 24/7 shoulder closures, possible overnight lane restrictions and the planned westbound shift when traveling through the interchange area.

CDOT’s current project information points to continued construction activity through late 2026. The next specifically identified traffic change is the minor westbound shift planned later in September, while the broader project remains on its August 2025-to-November 2026 schedule.

The interchange at I-70 Exit 288 opened on February 9, 2026. The City of Aurora says the newly constructed Picadilly Road segment between East 19th Avenue and Smith Road is open, along with new bicycle and pedestrian pathways.

What is open now

Drivers can use Picadilly Road to cross I-70 and access the interstate ramps. The project creates a continuous north-south connection extending between Colfax Avenue and Smith Road, with the interchange serving as the crossing point over I-70.

The completed facility uses a diverging-diamond design. In that layout, traffic shifts to the opposite side of the bridge approach, allowing vehicles to reach the interstate ramps without the conventional opposing-traffic crossing pattern at the ramp intersections. Signals control the points where traffic moves across the roadway.

People walking or biking can use the new pathways through the interchange. Aurora identifies those pathways as part of the completed Picadilly connection.

Why drivers should watch the signs

Aurora warns that overhead ramp signage has changed. Drivers using Exit 288 should follow the current overhead signs rather than rely on the previous traffic pattern or familiar ramp descriptions.

The layout may feel different from a conventional interchange because traffic shifts across the bridge before vehicles reach the ramps. Drivers should stay in their marked lanes, obey the signals and pay close attention during their first trips through the area.

Possible summer lane closures

The interchange is operating, but that does not mean every construction activity is complete. Aurora’s project page says intermittent lane closures in the diverging diamond may be required later in summer 2026 for final construction activities.

The cited project notice does not specify dates and times for those possible closures. Travelers with time-sensitive trips should check Aurora’s road-construction updates and current traffic information before using the interchange.

The practical distinction is straightforward: the interchange and connecting Picadilly roadway are open, while limited final-construction work may temporarily restrict lanes.

What the current information does not show

Aurora and the Colorado Department of Transportation describe expected project benefits, including improved north-south connectivity, fewer out-of-direction trips and potential reductions in congestion and travel costs. Those are project descriptions and forecasts, not current measured results.

The available information as of August 4, 2026 does not provide traffic counts, measured congestion results or crash data for the completed interchange. The verified update is therefore about access and operating status: Aurora residents, commuters, freight drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians can use the connection, but should follow the new signs and remain alert for possible intermittent lane restrictions later this summer.

Sources

• City of Aurora — Road Construction Updates
• Colorado Department of Transportation — I-70 Picadilly Design-Build