South Academy Boulevard Acceleration Lane to Open Two Weeks Ahead of Schedule

EL PASO COUNTY—CDOT and prime contractor Tricon 2, LLC started enhancements to the northbound South Academy Boulevard acceleration lane in August. Due to everyone's efforts, this project is wrapping up two weeks ahead of schedule—with work concluding at the end of this week.

Every effort has been made to minimize impacts to the traveling public, and we will continue those efforts through the project completion this week.

Traffic impacts to expect this week:

• From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday November 10, motorists should expect a shoulder closure on northbound Interstate 25 approaching South Academy Boulevard for final overhead lighting improvement installations.
• The South Academy Boulevard on-ramp will also have a shoulder closure.

The overhead lighting improvements finalize all construction activities for this safety improvement project. All work is weather-dependent and the schedule is subject to change.

Motorists will benefit from the project completion.

"Before the project, the short transition made it difficult for on-ramp traffic, which is heavy at times, to merge onto I-25. The new acceleration lane provides motorists approximately 1,500 feet to make the maneuver," said Steve Goure, CDOT project manager.

This $1.1 million project also includes drainage infrastructure and new overhead lighting.