COLORADO SPRINGS — The city of Colorado Springs closed the tunnel under I-25 between Frontage Road and Janitell Road on Monday.
Officials hope the closure will ease construction traffic onto Circle Drive. It's part of the bridge replacement project, which started in December.
"We found that a number of people were utilizing that has a cut-through, it was creating an issue for traffic over at Circle Drive in Janitell," said project manager Ryan Phipps.
It's mainly used as a shortcut to Janitell Road, which is the only way in and out of Harrison High School.
"We appreciate your patience," said Phipps. "We know that it is challenging accessing school through a construction zone."
Both 60-year-old bridges on Circle Drive will be torn down and replaced. City crews are building a new eastbound bridge first, then the westbound bridge later.
"What we're trying to do is to keep the two lanes of traffic on circle open during all the construction," said Phipps.
The tunnel to Janitell Road may be closed for the entirety of the project, through 2025.
"It's annoying," said Tony Martinez who had to turn around at the tunnel.
"[I] take the shortcut here to get to this side of town by if it's closed or I choose a different route, it does take about 5, 10 minutes to just go around," said Martinez.
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