FOR RELEASE: City of Loveland celebrates the completion of US 34 and Taft Avenue Intersection Improvement Project
City of Loveland, Colorado
MEDIA RELEASE
CONTACT: Illianna Milldrum, Communication and Engagement Specialist, 970-962-2608, Illianna.Milldrum@cityofloveland.org
City of Loveland celebrates the completion of US 34 and Taft Avenue Intersection Improvement Project
LOVELAND, Colo. – July 18, 2025 – The City of Loveland is proud to announce the successful completion of the US 34 and Taft Avenue Intersection Improvement Project; a major utility and roadway infrastructure effort focused on easing congestion and improving safety at one of the city's busiest intersections. On Monday, July 21, at noon, North Taft Avenue reopened to traffic.
“We’d like to extend our greatest appreciation to the public and businesses for their cooperation throughout construction. Their dedication, patience and versatility helped make this project successful. Our goal was to improve this intersection by addressing public safety concerns, aging infrastructure and incorporating multimodal improvements, and we successfully accomplished that. We hope you enjoy the ride, Loveland! And, as always, please be mindful of the speed limits and stay alert with these new improvements,” said City Engineer Nicole Hahn.
The project was designed to enhance traffic flow, modernize utilities and increase safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Three local contractors were selected for the work, Coulson Excavating Company led roadway improvements, Connell Resources managed the waterline upgrades while Sturgeon Electric completed boring and electrical improvements.
The project was completed in four strategic phases to minimize disruption and optimize efficiency.
Phase 1
Crews removed light posts and medians on US 34/Eisenhower Boulevard between Westshore Drive and Prospect Avenue to facilitate safe working conditions and allow for necessary lane shifts. Simultaneously, the City of Loveland Utilities Department replaced an aging waterline beneath the intersection to avoid future utility disruptions.
Phase 2
Improvements south of US 34 on North Taft Avenue included the addition of a dedicated left-turn lane on North Taft Avenue to westbound US 34, alleviating traffic backups during peak hours. The phase also added bike lanes, ADA-compliant sidewalks, curbs and gutters to improve accessibility and safety. The outdated 1960s and 1970s 12-inch cast iron water pipes were replaced with 12-inch PVC pipes projected to last 100 years.
Phase 3
Carrying over the same underground infrastructure improvements, the City completed the replacements of 12-inch cast iron pipes with 12-inch PVC pipes projected to last 100 years from US 34 to 18th Street. Additionally, telecommunication and energy utilities were replaced and relocated. North Taft Avenue upgrades included roadway widening, replacement of curbs and ADA-compliant sidewalks, median installation and final paving and striping, along with the addition of new streetlights and enhancements to access points along the corridor. A new left-turn lane was also constructed for vehicles turning east onto US 34, helping to reduce congestion and improve overall traffic flow.
Additional Phase 3 enhancements near the Village Inn Shops included the removal and replacement of storm inlets, relocation of utilities and the installation of new curb, gutter, sidewalk, and driveway access points. Similar work was completed at the south Safeway entrance near Wendy’s, where a storm drain inlet was replaced and the driveway repaved.
Phase 4
Median extensions and milling and paving work were completed along US 34 between Westshore Drive and Prospect Avenue, to improve safety and traffic flow. The westbound and eastbound left-turn lanes on US 34/Eisenhower Boulevard have been extended. These changes will increase the turn-lane capacity, reduce congestion and prevent traffic from backing up into through lanes. As a result, the eastbound left-turn lane into the Village Inn Shopping Center was removed, and some access points in the area will no longer allow direct left turns. However, U-turns will remain available to maintain access.
The majority of Phase 3c and Phase 4 work has been completed. The project will continue with minor punch list items throughout this month and next month. Crew members can be seen onsite occasionally completing minor repairs; however, majority of the intersection work has been completed.
The City of Loveland’s Utilities and Public Works Departments have worked over the past year to complete critical improvements to safety and aging infrastructure on US 34 and Taft Avenue. Similar projects have started across the City of Loveland to improve the community’s quality of life. For remaining questions about the US 34 and Taft Improvement Project, call the Public Works Department at 970-962-2524 or email PublicWorksInfo@cityofloveland.org. For information about other construction projects happening around the City of Loveland, visit lovgov.org/ConeZone.
About
The US 34 and Taft Avenue Intersection Improvement Project was introduced to the Loveland City Council in 1999. Throughout the years, the biggest hurdle for the project has been funding. The City found different funding sources to move the project forward over the years and is now able to move forward with allocated funding dedicated to the project. The City has acquired and demolished the homes along the west side of Taft Avenue from 11th Street to US 34/Eisenhower Boulevard. To accomplish the improvements to widen Taft Avenue, additional rights-of-way and easements were required. The City acquired these properties to meet construction schedules and progress with an anticipated summer 2024 construction date—all of which is necessary to leverage federal grant funding opportunities.
Project Funding
The US 34 and Taft Avenue Intersection Improvement Project is funded by multiple funding streams collected over the past 10 years to move the project forward (2013-2023). Those funding streams include grants, TABOR, General Fund, Capital Expansion Fees and the Water Enterprise Fund. To learn more about the budget for this project, visit letstalkloveland.org/us34-and-taft-intersection-improvements.
