COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — After years of construction, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and its partners gathered Tuesday, Sept. 29, to celebrate major completion milestones on three Colorado Springs road projects.
The celebration highlighted improvements on I-25 between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road, the new Powers Boulevard and Airport Road interchange, and the Military Access, Mobility and Safety Improvement Project, known as MAMSIP.
Together, the projects represent more than $250 million in investment. The work aims to improve safety, traffic flow and access to military installations on roads also used by commuters, families and commercial vehicles.
Watch Jaylen Lee's report in the video player below:
I-25: More room to merge, with work still ahead
Between Fillmore and Garden of the Gods, new acceleration and deceleration lanes give drivers more space to enter and exit I-25.
While CDOT celebrated the project's progress, crews still have paving and other finishing work to complete. Shane Ferguson, CDOT's Region 2 transportation director, said barriers and cones will be removed as construction wraps up, followed by the end of construction speed restrictions.
In an interview with News5, Ferguson said he expects the remaining work to be completed in October or November.
He said building roads while keeping traffic moving requires crews to work in stages, shifting vehicles around construction and protecting both workers and drivers.
Powers and Airport: A new way through the interchange
The new diverging diamond carries Airport Road traffic over Powers Boulevard. Airport Road drivers briefly cross to the opposite side of the roadway, allowing left turns onto ramps without crossing opposing traffic.
The interchange serves Peterson Space Force Base's west entrance and is intended to reduce congestion and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
The interchange is open, but CDOT said periodic lane closures and traffic shifts are expected through October as crews finish remaining work.
MAMSIP: Four corridors, one connected effort
MAMSIP improved I-25, Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard and Charter Oak Ranch Road. The corridors connect Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station.
The approximately $161 million program was completed in July, with South Academy as its final piece, according to CDOT.
On South Academy, the work expanded the southern section from two lanes to three in each direction and included bridge improvements, drainage, lighting and noise walls.
Other components included a passing lane and intersection improvements on Highway 94, a rebuilt Charter Oak Ranch Road and roundabout serving Fort Carson's Gate 19, and bridge and median safety improvements on I-25 south of South Academy.
Although military access helped drive the effort, the improvements also serve civilian drivers traveling those same roads.
Drivers can check COtrip.org for current closures and traffic conditions.
