The Colorado Department of Transportation got a stinging verdict from a jury Friday in a court challenge over an eminent domain action in Genesee.

The verdict means CDOT will have to pay a total of approximately $3 million, of which $2.3 million will go to the property owner and the remainder will go to attorneys for the plaintiff and court costs.

"This is just a wonderful day, and we won for a reason," said 81-year-old Jeri Mickels.

CBS

The ruling came after Mickels challenged CDOT's attempts to acquire 17 acres of property on the north side of Interstate 70 near an animal underpass completed in 2024. CDOT started the project in 2022, before deciding to attempt to acquire the land.

That move came as an unusual afterthought during construction, when the agency decided to make a bid to

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