Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program Updates for Week of September 1, 2024

Travel Advisory

August 30, 2024 - Nighttime South Academy Boulevard closures under Interstate 25 continue for bridge deck work

Colorado Springs —­­­­ The Colorado Department of Transportation will temporarily close east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard lanes under I-25 and detour north- and southbound I-25 using on- and off-ramps at South Academy Boulevard as part of the bridge reconstruction project. Texturing of the new bridge deck, and other remaining work at South Academy Boulevard is planned during nighttime hours on Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Saturday, Sept. 7.

Full closure of eastbound South Academy Boulevard

  • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Full closure of westbound South Academy Boulevard

  • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Re-route traffic on north- and southbound I-25 using South Academy Boulevard ramps

  • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Detours will be in place:

  • Eastbound South Academy Boulevard traffic will be diverted south on I-25 to Colorado Highway 16 (exit 132A), where they will turn around and re-enter I-25 north to South Academy Boulevard
  • Westbound South Academy Boulevard traffic will be diverted north on I-25 to Lake Avenue/South Circle Drive (exit 138), where they will turn around and re-enter I-25 south to South Academy Boulevard
  • North- and southbound I-25 traffic will take the exit 135 off-ramp and re-enter the on-ramp to continue.
Detour map for full closure of South Academy Boulevard at I-25
Detour map for full closure of South Academy Boulevard at I-25.

Also, there will be various southbound I-25 right lane closures between South Academy Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue during nighttime hours on Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Friday, Sept. 6 to allow crews to install final permanent signs as construction nears completion.

  • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. between MP 135 and 129
  • Friday, Sept. 6, 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. between MP 129 and 128

The speed limit in this area has been reduced to 60 MPH. Traffic delays of 10 to 15 minutes are expected and motorists are urged to use extra caution while traveling in the area. Fines will be doubled through the construction zone.

El Paso County – MAMSIP – South Academy Boulevard Widening Project

Colorado Springs — A temporary closure of the South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street is ongoing and will tentatively end in late September. This closure is necessary to allow crews to install drainage pipes across the road and reconstruct the Hartford on and off ramps. Full closures decrease the duration of traffic impacts and increase safety for the traveling public and crews.

A detour will be in place:

  • Eastbound South Academy Boulevard exiting to Hartford Street will continue east to US 85/87, turn around and travel west to Coventry Drive, travel north to Welton Drive, turn west and travel to southbound Hartford Street.

Overnight alternating lane closures on northbound South Academy Boulevard between Fountain Creek and Bradley Road are planned for Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. to allow crews to perform bridge deck repairs.

There will be a full closure of the eastern half of the Bradley Road roundabout near South Academy Boulevard on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m. to midnight to allow crews to perform a drainage investigation across the roadway. A detour will be in place:

  • Northbound Academy Boulevard traffic will use Cody Drive, Cactus Drive and Cassidy Street to rejoin Bradley Road. Traffic heading west on Bradley Road will go north on Hancock Expressway to Milton Proby Parkway, and turn north to South Academy Boulevard.
Detour map of closure of the eastern half of the Bradley Road roundabout near South Academy Boulevard
Detour map of closure of the eastern half of the Bradley Road roundabout near South Academy Boulevard

Northbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway will be temporarily closed overnight on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for crews to perform drainage work. A detour will be in place:

  • Northbound traffic will exit onto Bradley Road, travel east to Hancock Expressway, turn north to Milton Proby Parkway, and turn west to South Academy Boulevard.

Southbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway will be temporarily closed overnight on Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. for crews to perform drainage work. A detour will be in place:

  • Southbound traffic will turn west onto Drennan Road, turn north at Astrozon Boulevard, turn east onto Hancock Expressway and continue south to Bradley Road, turn west and reenter southbound South Academy Boulevard.
Detour map for closure of southbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway
Detour map for closure of southbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway

The southbound South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to US 85/87 will be temporarily closed starting Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. to Saturday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. for crews to install drainage pipe across the roadway. A detour will be in place:

  • Southbound traffic exiting to US 85/87 will continue south and east under I-25, turn north at Venetucci Boulevard, turn east at B Street, and turn right onto East Las Vegas Street/US 85/87.
Detour map for southbound South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to US 85/87
Detour map for southbound South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to US 85/87

Northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and US 85/87 will be temporarily closed starting Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. to Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. for Fountain Creek bridge deck repairs. A detour will be in place:

  • Northbound South Academy Boulevard traffic will travel I-25 southbound to Mesa Ridge Parkway, turn east to US 85/87, turn north onto Main Street, turn west onto Bradley Road, and enter northbound South Academy Boulevard.
Detour map for closure at northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and US 85/87
Detour map for closure at northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and US 85/87

A northbound South Academy Boulevard lane shift between Milton Proby Parkway and Fountain Creek to the outside is ongoing to allow crews to perform drainage and median work. The new alignment will be in place for until late September.

A diversion of Coventry Drive traffic intending to travel west on South Academy is ongoing: westbound traffic will enter northbound I-25, travel to South Circle Drive (Mile Point 138), turn around and continue south to exit 135 to continue westbound South Academy. This detour will be in place until mid-September.

A shift of east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Fountain Creek towards the center is ongoing to allow crews to work on the outside lanes, install drainage pipes, and prepare to construct a noise barrier. This alignment will be in place approximately until spring 2025.

Motorists are also advised that the shift of the northbound I-25 off-ramp to northbound South Academy Boulevard to a new alignment is ongoing and will have a short acceleration lane.

Motorists are advised to use caution at all entrance ramps as merge lengths have been shortened. In particular, motorists should be prepared to stop on the US 85/87 on-ramp to eastbound South Academy and the Bradley Road on-ramp to eastbound South Academy since merge area is greatly reduced.

All lanes of Bradley Road under South Academy Boulevard are shifted to the center of the roadway ongoing to allow crews to perform work on new bridge piers.

These closures are weather dependent and subject to change.

Traffic Impacts

I-25 between US 85/Fountain (MP 127) and South Academy Boulevard (MP 135) 

  • Full closure of eastbound South Academy Boulevard
    • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
    • Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Full closure of westbound South Academy Boulevard
    • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
    • Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Re-route traffic on north- and southbound I-25 using South Academy Boulevard ramps
    • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
    • Friday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Various southbound I-25 right lane closures between South Academy Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue
    • Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. between MP 135 and 129
    • Friday, Sept. 6, 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. between MP 129 and 128

South Academy Boulevard Widening Project

  • Ongoing temporary full closure of South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street in place for approximately four weeks. Use detour route
  • Overnight alternating lane closures on northbound of South Academy Boulevard between Fountain Creek and Bradley Road on Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
  • Full closure of the eastern half of the Bradley Road roundabout near South Academy Boulevard on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m. to midnight. Use detour route
  • Full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Use detour route
  • Full closure of southbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway on Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Use detour route
  • Full closure of southbound South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to US 85/87 starting Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. to Saturday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. Use detour route
  • Full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and US 85/87 starting Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. to Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. Use detour route
  • Ongoing shift of northbound South Academy Boulevard between Milton Proby Parkway and Fountain Creek in place until late September
  • Ongoing shift of east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Fountain Creek to middle until spring 2025
  • Ongoing Southbound Coventry Drive detour to westbound South Academy in place for until late September
  • Ongoing full closure of existing north- and southbound South Academy Boulevard on-ramps from US 85/87 and shift to temporary on-ramp, in place until fall 2024
  • Ongoing shift of all lanes on Bradley Road under South Academy Boulevard bridge

Project Overview

Interstate-25 – Safety and Efficiency Improvements

The improvements to I-25 addressed in this project are located along an approximately 7.5-mile segment of south I-25 beginning at South Academy Boulevard and extending to the Santa Fe Avenue (US 85/87) exit at Fountain (MP 128), which exits to Gate 19 of Fort Carson. The project includes:

  • Replacement of two bridges crossing over South Academy Boulevard
  • Widening of both inside and outside shoulders and installing safety improvements
  • Concrete surface treatment overlay to provide an improved riding surface
  • Installation of median barrier
  • Rehab and widening work on four bridges
  • Installation of an I-25 southbound deceleration lane at the interchange with CO 16

South Academy Boulevard Widening Project

The improvements to South Academy Boulevard in this project are located on South Academy Boulevard at the southern mile and a half of this arterial road from the I-25 interchange, crossing US Highway 85/87, and continuing to the road’s approach to Milton Proby Parkway (which connects to Powers Boulevard/CO 21). Construction focuses on widening an approximately 1.5-mile section of South Academy Boulevard from two lanes to three in each direction to alleviate recurring congestion. The project includes improved drainage facilities, lighting, striping, and expanded shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls and bridgework. The project is expected to be complete by early 2026. This project is managed by El Paso County.

Safety Benefits

CDOT conducted a safety assessment for the corridor to evaluate the magnitude and nature of safety problems and analyze the causes of crashes. These transportation improvements are mitigation measures to reduce crashes, improve infrastructure, and address physical deficiencies that contribute to crashes in the corridor. Over the next 20 years, the project is estimated to result in fewer deaths, injuries and crashes on the four MAMSIP corridors.

Project Contact Information

About the Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program Build Grant

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has initiated a program to deliver more efficient and safer mobility along I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard, and Charter Oak Ranch Road, enabling economic stability and development. The Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program is partially funded through an $18 million BUILD grant award from the US Department of Transportation. The delivery of these improvements will strengthen and enhance the redundancy of strategic movement between the nationally significant El Paso County military installations of Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, and Schriever Space Force Base.

Know Before You Go

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

Remember: Slow For The Cone Zone

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.
  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.
  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.
  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.
  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.
  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.
  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.
  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.
  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.
  • Be patient!

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!