EL PASO COUNTY — There is a warning to drivers about major construction getting underway on I-25 south of Colorado Springs. "We are really ramping up," said Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Resident Engineer, Dan Hunt. It is a two-year project with construction zone speeds, shifting lanes, and crews working along a heavy traffic area.
The work zone extends from the South Academy interchange of I-25 all the way to the Fountain interchange. The purpose is improved safety, dealing with growing congestion, and fixing a road surface that keeps failing.
The pavement on I-25 from South Academy to the Fountain exit keeps failing. "There's a layer of asphalt that--it's bad and we just keep overlaying it and it just doesn't last so we're going to do the white topping to kind of bridge that." The reference to “white topping” means removing asphalt and replacing it with eight inches of concrete. The shoulder of the road will also be widened to 12 feet to improve safety.
The South Academy I-25 bridge is old and gets replaced. The number of lanes on I-25 remains the same, but Academy Boulevard approaching the interchange gets a new lane in each direction. "You know you've got the college and you've got Fort Carson, so we've seen a lot of congestion," said Hunt.
The construction zone signs, cones, and cement barriers are installed. It allows crews to maximize warm days when they arrive.
CDOT managers point out a common issue when new construction zones show up—they often see crashes among drivers not paying attention. It is why messaging is getting underway to warn drivers about this new and evolving construction zone. Lanes narrow, driving lanes will shift occasionally, and speeds now decrease.
The schedule for the project is just over two years. The planned timeline goes until summer 2024.
