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The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and its High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) is to select a Kiewit-Meridiam Partners consortium as preferred bidder for the Colorado Department of Transportation's Central 70 highway project.

CDOT and HPTE shortlisted four teams, which submitted final financial proposals for the project. The other three consortia were:

• 5280 Connectors: Plenary Group (Equity Member), Skanska Infrastructure Group (Equity Member), Skanska USA Civil Inc. (Lead Contractor), Zachry Construction Corporation (Lead Contractor), HDR Engineering (Lead Engineer) and Transfield Services (Lead Operator).

• Front Range Mobility Group: Hochtief PPP Solutions (Equity Member), ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc. (Equity Member), AECOM Capital, Inc. (Equity Member), John Laing Investments Limited (Equity Member), Flatiron Constructors, Inc. (Lead Contractor), Dragados USA (Lead Contractor), URS Energy & Construction, Inc. (Lead Contractor), CH2M Hill Engineers, Inc. (Lead Engineer), URS Energy & Construction, Inc. (Lead Engineer), Hochtief PPP Solutions, Operations (Lead Operator), ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc. (Lead Operator) and AECOM Capital, Inc. (Developer, Lead Operator).

• I-70 Mile High Partners: Cintra Infraestructuras Internacional (Equity Member, Lead Operator), Bechtel Development Company, Inc. (Equity Member, Lead Operator), Ferrovial Agroman US Corp. (Lead Contractor), Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation (Lead Contractor), Sema Construction, Inc., (Lead Contractor), Janssen & Spaans Engineering, Inc. (Lead Engineer), Othon, Inc. (Lead Engineer) and Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation (Lead Engineer).

Denver Mobility Partners, a consortium composed, among others, of InfraRed Capital Partners, Star America and Fluor, submitted qualification documents but it was the only team that has not been shortlisted.

The 11-mile I-70 East project corridor extends through the eastern portion of the City and County of Denver. The purpose of the project is to implement a transportation solution that improves safety, access and mobility. The need for the project results from the following issues: increased transportation demand, limited transportation capacity, safety concerns; and transportation infrastructure deficiencies.

Central 70, between I-25 and Chambers Road, is one of Colorado's economic backbones: home to 1,200 businesses, providing the regional connection to Denver International Airport and carrying upwards of 200,000 vehicles per day. It's time to bring this aging highway into the 21st century and rejoin communities along the way. 

In February 2015, CDOT recommended developing the project through a P3. According to the I-70 East Value for Money analysis, the I-70 East project is not affordable under a design build model, but can be afforded under both the design, build, operation and maintenance (DBOM) and design, build, finance, operation and maintenance (DBFOM) models.