Industrial Construction at the Mulberry and I-25 Interchange

Owners planning a truck-dependent building on East Mulberry should read the state's interchange schedule before they read a land listing. State Highway 14 leaves downtown Fort Collins east along East Mulberry Street and reaches Interstate 25 at exit 269, then enters Weld County and passes through Ault, where it meets US 85. Anything built along that stretch lives with the interchange it uses, and that interchange is slated for major work.

We build for the users who pick this location for its access: distributors, service fleets, equipment yards and light manufacturers who need trucks on the interstate within minutes. The job is to place a building, a truck court and a drainage plan on a parcel whose road frontage may change. Southeast Fort Collins has a second industrial pocket in the Timberline and Prospect industrial area, and we treat the two as one connected market.

An interchange flagged for rebuilding, with dates still estimates

The Colorado Department of Transportation's I-25 and Mulberry (CO 14) Interchange Improvements project covers I-25 mileposts 269 to 271 and CO 14 frontage road connections from milepost 138.7 to 139.25. The agency cites unconventional traffic operations, flooding concerns and aging infrastructure, with bridge replacement and flood mitigation among the stated benefits. For a landowner, that is a clear signal that the roads around the parcel will not stay as they are.

The funding picture is just as important. CDOT secured design funds in September 2022, and as of August 2024 construction funding had not been identified. The project page estimated 30 percent design in early 2026, 60 percent in early 2027 and final design in early 2028, all subject to change. We read those dates as the state's own estimates, and we recommend checking the project page for current status before any land commitment.

Building a schedule around someone else's project

A private project near a public interchange has two clocks. Ours covers design, permitting, site work and construction, and the state's covers design, right-of-way and eventual construction. We do not assume the state's dates; we build our schedule so it works whether the interchange is untouched during our construction or begins a rebuild soon after we finish.

That means designing access with flexibility. A primary entrance on the existing frontage road may be supplemented by a second entrance onto another street, and the truck court is laid out so a lost driveway does not strand the building. I-25 runs along the east side of Fort Collins, and exits 268 and 269 serve Colorado State University, with exit 269 described as the most direct route to downtown, so campus and commuter traffic will share these roads at peak hours. We plan deliveries accordingly.

What we build along East Mulberry and toward Ault

The usual program includes a shell building with a small office, a concrete truck court and dock apron, a trailer or equipment yard, and site lighting. Our dock aprons and loading zones work covers the concrete sections, drainage slopes and door-to-apron transitions that keep trailers backing safely and water out of the building.

For distributors, the building may be a modest logistics and fulfillment center with racking, a mezzanine for pick modules and a few dock positions. East of the interstate, State Highway 14 runs toward Ault, and owners who want a lower land cost than the city edge sometimes compare the two. We can price the same building in both places so the trade-offs are visible.

Drainage and concrete first, because flooding is on the state's own list

When the state names flooding as a concern, a private owner should treat drainage as a primary design element. We closely supervise the grading, storm piping, inlets and detention work on the site, which keeps the finished drainage true to the plan. Detention is described in our stormwater detention and drainage work: sized ponds, controlled outlets and an overflow path that does not cross the building.

We also inspect concrete placement and finishing closely, because yards and aprons fail at joints and low spots first. Subgrade preparation, base compaction and joint layout are decided with the geotechnical report and checked in the field, and the finished surface is surveyed for slope before the trade partner leaves.

Access, drainage and right-of-way as line items

On a parcel next to a planned interchange, three cost items need separate treatment. Access improvements such as turn lanes and driveway widening depend on the state or city reviewing authority. Drainage connections depend on capacity downstream. Right-of-way or easement needs may arise if the state's project later requires a strip of the parcel.

We price these items as allowances at the start and refine them as reviews proceed. Exterior lighting and power for the yard are another meaningful line, and yard lighting and electrical site work is priced with conduit and poles in the first utility pass to avoid trenching new paving later.

Distribution tenants and the site around them

Distribution users along I-25 treat this location as a quick hop to the interstate and a short drive to the city. Owners in logistics and distribution weigh door count, trailer storage and truck-turn depth first, and everything else follows. We help set those parameters before the building is drawn so the footprint is not later revised.

Because the site may sit next to a future construction zone, we also add temporary protection: silt fence on the downhill side, a stabilized entrance and a plan for coordinating with state contractors if work begins during our schedule. Having those arrangements written down early avoids disputes.

Share the parcel and the truck traffic

Send us the address, the vehicles you expect and the building you have in mind. We will review access and drainage, and give you a plan that works whatever the interchange does.

Common Questions

Will the interchange project affect my parcel?

It might. The state's project covers I-25 mileposts 269 to 271 and CO 14 frontage road connections, and it cites bridge replacement and flood mitigation. Whether your parcel is touched depends on the final design, which was estimated at 30 percent in early 2026 and to be completed in early 2028, subject to change. We recommend asking the state about right-of-way before you commit.

Is construction funded?

As of August 2024 the project page said construction funding had not been identified, though design funds had been secured in September 2022. Funding can change, so we advise owners to check the current project page rather than rely on our summary. Our designs allow for either outcome, so your building works whether the interchange changes soon or later.

Which exit serves this area?

State Highway 14 reaches I-25 at exit 269. Exits 268 and 269 both serve Colorado State University, and the exit 269 route is described as the most direct way to downtown. Trucks heading to a Mulberry site normally use exit 269, so we plan driveways and queues for that approach.

How should we think about drainage here?

Treat it as a first-order issue. The state names flooding among the reasons for the interchange project, and the Cache la Poudre River basin has a history of floods. We design on-site detention, protect the building pad with grading and route overflow away from the structure. A geotechnical and drainage review before purchase pays for itself.

Is a site in Ault a better value than a Mulberry site?

It depends on the use. Ault lies farther from the city and the interstate, but land is often less costly, and it sits where State Highway 14 meets US 85. For a use that depends on frequent trips to Fort Collins customers, the Mulberry location saves time. We will estimate both so you can weigh land cost against daily trip cost.

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