Powers Boulevard and Airport Road Interchange Project | Design Phase
About the Design Project
Powers Boulevard (Colorado Highway 21) extends from Colorado Highway 16 to Colorado Highway 83, conveying commercial and personal travel and functioning as part of the National Highway System. Airport Road serves as an east-west travel route through Colorado Springs, and is a critical access point for the west gate of Peterson Space Force Base.
Corridor planning has identified the need for construction of an interchange at the intersection of Airport Road and Powers Blvd (Colorado Highway 21 / US Highway 24 at this location), in El Paso County. CDOT is designing a grade-separated Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) to replace the existing signalized intersection. Construction is anticipated to start late 2023 to early 2024. This project is a top priority of the Pikes Peak region in the statewide 10-year plan. Funding is planned through Colorado Senate Bill 260.
For access to the FONSI or project documents, please email the project team.
Project Schedule
- Winter 2021: Project Kick-Off
- Summer 2022: 50% of design complete
- Fall 2022: Public Open House
- Mid to Late 2023: Design complete, advertisement for Bids
- Summer 2024: Construction Begins
Alternative Selected
The diverging diamond interchange type has been selected for this location to address congestion, improve safety, and add multimodal facilities that will allow for a safer and more comfortable travel experience for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Similar interchanges have been constructed at Fillmore Street and I-25, Research Parkway and Powers Boulevard, and several other locations across Colorado. The video below is a helpful guide in driving through this interchange type.
Environmental Assessment
- This Powers Boulevard and Airport Road Interchange is an improvement identified in the 2010 Powers Boulevard between Woodmen Road and CO 16 Environmental Assessment (EA) Proposed Action. The EA and subsequent 2011 Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) evaluated alternatives to reduce congestion on Powers Boulevard between Woodmen Road and CO 16, a distance of approximately 17 miles. The Proposed Action is to reconstruct the expressway as a 6-lane freeway for the 11 miles between Woodman Road and Milton E. Proby Parkway, including construction of grade-separated interchanges and overpasses at intersections.
- The 2015 US24/CO 21 Powers Widening: Fountain Boulevard to Platte Avenue Reevaluation identified a Proposed Action for interim improvements at the project location. This included widening Powers Boulevard between Fountain Boulevard and Platte Avenue from two through lanes in each direction to three through lanes in each direction, as well as adding an additional eastbound lane on Airport Road between Troy Hill Road and Stewart Avenue. These interim improvements were constructed in 2016.
- The final planning and design process will be in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including an Environmental Assessment reevaluation that is ongoing.
Public Open House
CDOT hosted a public open house on November 3, 2022 for the Powers Boulevard and Airport Road Interchange Project. We welcomed all community members to learn more about the proposed interchange design. At this open house we discussed design details on the interchange and welcomed all feedback.
