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Road Closures For Wednesday's Presidential Debate In Denver

KUNC

Interstate 25 will be closed in both directions from the Santa Fe Drive (US 85) interchange to the Hampden Avenue (US 285) interchange for the first 2012 presidential debate.

Update 8:33 a.m. 10/3/2012: The big day is finally here and we are starting to see complaints and remarks on social media about the anxiety people have about the closures. You can get a start with this morning's primer on the debate. The digital team has also started a Storify collecting the best reactions from the debate (and the traffic) here. Drive safe today.

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Update 8:19 a.m. 10/2/2012: University Boulevard will be closed from Evans Avenue to Louisiana Avenue between approximately 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3.

Locally near Denver University, Buchtel Boulevard will be closed from Franklin to University starting around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Colorado Department of Transportation officials say the six-mile portion of I-25 will be closed from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, October 3.

The debate between President Barrack Obama and Republican Challenger Mitt Romney is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the University of Denver. Federal authorities requested the closure to help ensure safety.

“We recognize that motorists traveling through the area will experience some delay and inconvenience  We are working with multiple agencies on the local, state and federal level to do everything possible to keep those delays to a minimum,” said CDOT Executive Director Don Hunt.

Alternate routes are advised and detours will be in place to provide motorists access to neighborhoods and other areas.

Credit Colorado Department of Transportation
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Colorado Department of Transportation

Alternative Options for southbound I-25 traffic passing through the city:

  • I-25 to Santa Fe Drive (US 85)
  • Continue south on Santa Fe Drive to Hampden Avenue and travel east/north on Hampden to I-25
  • Continue south on Santa Fe to C-470 and travel east to I-25 
  •  I-25 to I-70
  • West on I-70, connect to C-470 and travel south to I-25
  • East on I-70, connect to I-225 and travel south to I-25
Credit Colorado Department of Transportation
/
Colorado Department of Transportation

Alternative Options for northbound I-25 traffic passing through the city:

  • I-25 to Hampden Avenue
  • Go west to Santa Fe Drive (US 85) and travel north to I-25
  • I-25 to I-225
  • North on I-225 to I-70, then west to I-270 or I-25

To avoid the entire area, these routes provide additional options:

Southbound I-25 alternate routes

  • I-76 east to I-270 to I-70 to I-225  
  • I-70 east to I-225
  • E-470 to I-70 or I-25 (tollway)

Northbound I-25 alternate routes

  • C-470 west to I-70
  • I-225 to I-70  
  • E-470 to I-70 or I-25 (tollway)

University Boulevard is not recommended on debate day as it will be closed in sections at various times. Closures, dates and times are subject to change. Check the Colorado Department of Transportation for any updated information.
Follow Reporter Emily Boyer on Twitter @EmilyBoyer1.

My journalism career started in college when I worked as a reporter and Weekend Edition host for WEKU-FM, an NPR member station in Richmond, KY. I graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a B.A. in broadcast journalism.
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