COLORADO SPRINGS — If Voyager Parkway in Colorado Springs is part of your commute or your route to restaurants and venues, keep in mind there is a coming monthslong closure for construction.
The Powers Blvd extension project has been in the works for several years to link up Highway 21 from the east side of the city to Interstate 25.
On November 20, Voyager Parkway at Powers Blvd will close to allow the construction of an overpass. All traffic on Voyager Parkway will detour onto Spectrum Loop. According to the city, a walkway will be constructed to protect pedestrians. If you have a favorite business on that stretch of road, you will still be able to access those locations, just plan for a little extra time to get there with construction underway.
The Copper Ridge Metro District is aiming to have the work completed by the fall of 2024, before the opening of Sunset Amphitheater. The developers of the amphitheater are working to create a venue that can hold 8,000 and host around 50 concerts each year.
The overpass will link up with the already completed interchange at exit 155 on Interstate 25.
In July, Colorado Springs City Council heard a proposal from the Copper Ridge Metro District to borrow up to $20 million to begin building a bridge along Voyager that would eventually cross Powers Boulevard.
The City of Colorado Springs, El Paso County, and the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority would then repay the debt with revenue collected from the PPRTA sales tax. The city and Copper Ridge agreed to a similar financing arrangement to build the I-25 and Voyager interchange.
The Powers Boulevard extension is one of the priority projects included in the PPRTA which was just renewed by voters in November.
"What it will do is make Powers for over 12 miles with no red lights," Council President Randy Helms told his colleagues during the discussion. "Dublin just south of Woodmen will be the last red light as you travel Powers until you get on I-25 at exit 155.
Helms believes the financing plan would help build the project faster and lock in construction costs at 2023 prices as opposed to higher costs down the road.
"I think this is a very, very good way to do it, with the (time) value of money upfront, using it now, getting the project started now," he said.
The City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County together would commit around $103 million of their PPRTA funding towards the project. Sturdivant anticipates another $18 million could become available from PPRTA2 once all of the A-list projects in that current taxing period are complete.
Helms estimates the entire project could take 2.5 to 3 years to complete. It would be built in phases with additional bonds being issued through the Copper Ridge Metro District as the project moves along.
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