Painful 1st Street Detour in Loveland to Remain Until May of 2023

It has been quite a year for First Street in Loveland, as a downtown portion has been closed for most of 2022. The city has begun another project that will keep traffic detoured even longer.

First Street in Loveland is a major thoroughfare, taking you from the far west side of town to the far east side. For months now, drivers have had to detour quite a bit out of their way to get to where they want/need to be.

It has been awhile since this stretch of First Street looked like it did, above. It now looks like the signs of construction will remain well into 2023. I think by that time people may forget how to get across town by actually using First Street.

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At the beginning of 2022, the city of Loveland announced how it was beginning a $12.3 million storm drainage improvement project that would take place over four years. That work is important, without question, as Loveland is not as young as it used to be. Phase 1 of that project has prevented 1st street from being a through street between Taft and Cleveland. 

Currently, they are taking the bridge down, which should take until the Thanksgiving timeframe. After Thanksgiving, the work will begin to replace the bridge, with an estimated date of completion being May of 2023.

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The local neighborhood detours will be lessened a bit, from the storm drainage improvement detour; but the major detours, for those wanting/needing to get from Highway 287 to Taft, will keep detouring north to Eisenhower or South to Highway 402.

In the end, First Street will have been closed, as a through-street artery for the city, for nearly 18 months.