E-470 Service Plazas Break Ground, with Applegreen Investing $70M for New Travel Amenities
E-470 Service Plazas Construction Underway
E-470 is proud to announce that its long-planned Service Plazas project is now moving into the construction phase, marking a transformative step in converting decommissioned toll plaza sites into modern Service Plazas.
This initiative, undertaken in partnership with the cities of Aurora, Commerce City, and Parker, along with international roadside hospitality operator Applegreen, will create four (4) fully featured amenities that include fuel stations, EV charging, food and coffee options, and retail services.
Applegreen will invest $70 million to build and operate the new Service Plazas and will begin demolition and construction in the coming weeks, starting in Parker. Subsequent developments in Commerce City and Aurora will commence pending final permits.
“This project has been years in the making and represents a bold new chapter for E-470 and our region,” said Joe Donahue, Executive Director of the E-470 Public Highway Authority. “We’re transforming underutilized infrastructure into something that will directly benefit our customers and communities - by providing services they need today and building in flexibility for the future of travel. And we’re proud to be making it a reality without relying on any toll revenue or tax dollars.”
The initiative is the result of more than five years of planning and coordination across jurisdictions and private partners. Board Chair and Aurora City Council Member, Francoise Bergan, emphasized the importance of collaboration in bringing the project to life.
“From day one, this has been a collective effort grounded in a shared, future-focused vision,” said Director Bergan, “These plazas will do more than serve travelers - they’ll strengthen our communities, support economic growth in Aurora and beyond, and enhance the customer experience across the E-470 corridor.”
Applegreen, a global leader in roadside hospitality and Service Plaza development, brings deep expertise in designing sustainable and customer-focused amenities. Each Service Plaza will include three food and beverage outlets, an Applegreen convenience store, fuel and fast EV chargers, as well as modern seating areas and restrooms.
Joe Barrett, Applegreen Chief Executive Officer said: “We are delighted to be partnering with E-470 on this exciting new project, which extends our footprint in the United States. We will be investing $70 million to deliver four new state-of-the-art Service Plazas, with construction beginning at our first location in Parker. The Parker Southbound Service Plaza is expected to be operational by Q4 2026, while the two locations in Commerce City, serving the traffic going to and from Denver International Airport, and Aurora, will follow shortly afterwards. Applegreen and Shames Construction, our local construction partner, are thrilled to have this opportunity to deliver a new world-class roadside hospitality experience for the travelling public in the Denver area. Shames Construction, as the design-builder and contractor, will play a key role in delivering the project efficiently and to a high standard. Their work is essential to making these modern service plazas a reality.”
Once complete, each location will serve as a gateway to local communities while offering the convenience, comfort, and amenities expected by today’s travelers - all supported by sustainable infrastructure, such as EV charging and modern design.
About E-470: E-470 is a 47-mile highway that forms the eastern half of a beltway around the Denver metro area. It is a regional roadway that connects to I-25 and C-470 in the south and to I-25 and the Northwest Parkway in the north providing drivers with a safe and reliable 75-mph commute. E-470 is funded primarily through toll revenue, and receives no local, state, or federal funding for operations, maintenance and improvements. The E-470 Public Highway Authority is a political sub-division of the state of Colorado. A Board of Directors govern E-470 and is comprised of eight local governments including Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties, as well as the municipalities of Aurora, Brighton, Commerce City, Parker, and Thornton. Additionally, E-470 operates ExpressToll, the all-electronic toll collection system available on E-470, Northwest Parkway, and CDOT Express Lanes. For more information, visit www.e-470.com.
About Applegreen: Applegreen is one of the largest highway Service Plaza operators in the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Across Applegreen’s network, the business operates in approximately 440 locations, and has more than 700 branded food and beverage offers, and 1,385 EV charging ports, serving millions of travelers in our three markets. The Applegreen Group serves 180 million customers annually, which is the equivalent of almost 500,000 customers per day. The Group employs approximately 16,000 people, including over 7,000 in the US. Operating 113 Service Plazas in the US, Applegreen has extensive experience working with State authorities, Departments of Transportation, and roadway authorities. Providing the full suite of services required to operate highway Service Plazas, the Group ensures seamless operations and maximum customer satisfaction across fuel, food and beverage, convenience store, and EV charging. Applegreen is truly a specialist in managing roadside hospitality assets.
