COLORADO SPRINGS — A major road project along Garden of the Gods Road is getting underway this week, with city officials saying the goal is simple: improve safety for drivers after years of crashes and injuries.
Starting Monday, crews will begin work on the stretch of Garden of the Gods Road between Interstate 25 and North Chestnut Street — just west of I-25. During construction, several lanes will be closed, and drivers will not be able to make left-hand turns within the work zone.
Access to local businesses will remain open, but only right-hand turns will be allowed in and out of driveways.
City data shows that between 2015 and 2020, this section of Garden of the Gods saw 47 crashes and 16 injuries. The city hopes the safety improvements will significantly reduce those numbers.
The nearly $2 million project is being largely funded through a state safety improvement grant. One of the most visible upgrades will be the replacement of older traffic signals with mast arm-style signals — a change that city engineers say improves visibility and reduces collisions.
“There’s data out there that shows that when you rebuild a signal into more of a mast arm style, there’s a safety benefit — they become more visible,” said Todd Frisbie, the city’s traffic engineer.
This phase of the project, focusing on the west side of I-25, is expected to last several weeks. After that, crews will shift east of I-25 to Mark Dabling Boulevard, where they’ll continue replacing traffic signals.
Frisbie said the entire project should be completed by the end of the year.
Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead for detours and limited turning options. And for those making stops along Garden of the Gods Road, expect to make a few extra right-hand turns — at least for now.
By early next year, left-hand turns into businesses will once again be allowed from Garden of the Gods Road, though left turns out of business driveways will remain restricted.
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