Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program Updates for Week of September 20, 2024

Travel Advisory

September 20, 2024 - Nighttime Interstate 25 lane closures near South Academy Boulevard for final traffic realignment

Colorado Springs —­­­­ The Colorado Department of Transportation has rescheduled the planned I-25 northbound traffic switch at Mile Post 135 to Monday, Sept. 30. Work leading up to this realignment will require lane closures on several nights during the week of Sept. 22. Crews will be completing several tasks, including finishing the application and grinding of poly overlay, applying a colored structural coating to new bridge and wall structures, completing patching work, and shifting temporary barriers.

Temporary nighttime closures of east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard lanes under I-25 are planned for Monday through Friday next week to allow crews to apply a structural coating to the I-25 bridge.

Full closure of eastbound South Academy Boulevard at I-25

  • Monday, Sept. 23 through Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Full closure of westbound South Academy Boulevard at I-25

  • Monday, Sept. 23 through Thursday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 27, 7 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
Detour map for closure of east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard lanes under I-25
Detour map for closure of east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard lanes under I-25

Nighttime work on I-25 includes:

Northbound I-25 right lane closure at South Academy Boulevard on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Wednesday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. for grinding of poly overlay.

Northbound I-25 left lane closure at South Academy Boulevard on Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. for resetting and removing temporary safety barriers.

Southbound I-25 left lane closure between South Academy Boulevard and Mesa Ridge Parkway on Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for resetting and removing safety barriers.

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:

  • Northbound 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.
Detour map for closure of the South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street
Detour map for closure of the South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street

A northbound South Academy Boulevard closure between I-25 and US 85/87 is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22 at midnight to Monday, Sept. 23 at 4:30 a.m. for bridge over Fountain Creek deck repairs. A detour will be in place:

  • Northbound South Academy Boulevard traffic will detour at Mesa Ridge Parkway, turn east to US 85/87, and enter northbound to South Academy Boulevard
Detour map for northbound South Academy Boulevard closure between I-25 and US 85/87
Detour map for northbound South Academy Boulevard closure between I-25 and US 85/87

Overnight alternating lane closures on northbound South Academy Boulevard between Fountain Creek and Bradley Road are planned for Tuesday, Sept. 24 through Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. to allow crews to perform bridge deck repairs.

There will be a full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Bradley Road on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. to Monday, Sept. 30 at 4:30 a.m. to repair the bridge deck over Fountain Creek and pave the Bradley Road Bridge. 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, travel north to Fontaine Boulevard, turn east to Grinnell Boulevard, turn north to Bradley Road, and enter northbound South Academy Boulevard
Detour map for closure at northbound South Academy Boulevard between US 85/87 and Bradley Road
Detour map for closure at northbound South Academy Boulevard between US 85/87 and Bradley Road

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 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 at I-25. Use detour route
    • Monday, Sept. 23 through Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
    • Friday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Full closure of westbound South Academy Boulevard at I-25. Use detour route
    • Monday, Sept. 23 through Thursday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
    • Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Northbound I-25 right lane closure at South Academy Boulevard, Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Wednesday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Northbound I-25 left lane closure at South Academy Boulevard, Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Southbound I-25 left lane closure between South Academy Boulevard and Mesa Ridge Parkway, Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

South Academy Boulevard Widening Project

  • Ongoing temporary full closure of South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street in place until late September. Use detour route
  • Tentative northbound South Academy Boulevard closure between I-25 and US 85/87 on Sunday, September 22 at 7 p.m. to Monday, September 23 at 4:30 a.m.
  • Overnight alternating lane closures on northbound of South Academy Boulevard between Fountain Creek and Bradley Road on Tuesday, Sept. 24 through Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
  • Full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Bradley Road on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. to Monday, Sept. 30 at 4:30 a.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
  • Southbound South Academy Boulevard right lane closure west of Fountain Creek on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
  • 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!

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