Work to widen Weld County Road (WCR) 66 between U.S. 85 and WCR 47 is currently scheduled to start this fall. Before work begins, however, here is a little background on what this project entails, why it is being done, and what it is intended to accomplish.

This project consists of improving a 4-mile stretch of WCR 66 between U.S. 85 and WCR 47 to a five-lane concrete highway. The typical roadway section (as seen in the graphic) will include two travel lanes in each direction, a continuous left turn lane in the middle of the roadway, and large shoulders on both sides of the roadway.

The widening of WCR 66 in this area is driven primarily by the need to handle increased industrial traffic and enhance safety. This corridor serves as a key route for the agricultural industry, and it often experiences high-volume, heavy-vehicle traffic that requires a more robust and wider roadway for public safety. A secondary need for this project is to support future access to the Greeley-Weld County Airport.

Plans for this section of WCR 66 originally called for keeping it a two-lane roadway for the time being. However, Weld County was able to secure funding to build the ultimate improvements now. This allows the county to move forward with improving roadway safety and addressing increased traffic demands, all while avoiding paying higher construction costs in the future.

Some might question why WCR 66 is being widened instead of State Highway (SH) 392 to the north. SH 392 is a Colorado state highway that falls under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Currently, CDOT has no plans to improve SH 392 in this area. Because of that, Weld County is moving forward with improving the roadway system it owns and maintains to ensure safe, efficient travel for all roadway users.

Weld County expects to have a contractor on board this summer, with construction starting in late 2026. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

Learn more about this project at www.weld.gov/Go/WCR66.