People living near Black Forest Road got the chance to ask questions about a proposed expansion during an informal meeting Thursday night.
Many neighbors in the northern El Paso County community came out to talk to representatives from the company hired to study the expansion.
There are two main concerns: that developers could be in violation of the Black Forest Preservation plan, and the population density limits it puts forth; and how people would be able to travel in the area during construction with only one way into Black Forest.
"This is the only way to get to town. There's really no good detour," said Judity Von Ahlefeldt, who lives in Black Forest. "And one of the points brought up was maybe they need to maybe Briargate Parkway needs to end, to go over to Union Blvd. before they change the Black Forest road configuration and close the bridge."
There's no start date yet for construction.
News5 will continue to track any new details as talks about this project move forward.
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Safety and congestion relief are among the drivers for a major expansion in the works for Black Forest road in Colorado Springs.
For decades Black Forest Road has been two lanes with dirt shoulders "We're looking to widen that [to a] four lane road with turn lanes and traffic signals at major intersections," said Colorado Springs, City Traffic Engineer, Todd Frisbie.
There is so much development on the northeast edge of Colorado Springs, Black Forest Road is now a major connector road for new neighborhoods. "The magnitude of cars there today, and that will be there in the future is one of the reasons that's facilitating these road improvements on Black Forest [Road]," said Frisbie.
A preliminary plan for the road expansion is on paper. The public is invited to see it and give input next Thursday, February 27th. The meeting runs from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The location is at the Grand Peak Academy charter school, 7036 Cowpoke Road.
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