August 05, 2024 – A temporary closure of the on-ramp from Hartford Street to northbound South Academy Boulevard is ongoing and will tentatively end on Wednesday, August 7 at 3 p.m.
A detour will be in place:
- Traffic intending to enter northbound South Academy Boulevard will continue north to Welton Drive, travel east to Maxwell Street and turn north to E. Las Vegas Street (CanAm Hwy.), and travel southeast to enter South Academy.
Following that, there will be a temporary closure of the South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street starting Monday, August 12 at 7 a.m. These closures are necessary to allow crews to install drainage pipes across the road and reconstruct the Hartford on and off ramps. This closure will be in place for approximately four weeks. Full closures decrease the duration of traffic impacts and increase safety for the traveling public and crews.
A detour will be in place:
- Eastbound South Academy Boulevard exiting to Hartford Street will continue east to U.S. 85/87, turn around and travel west to Coventry Drive, travel north to Welton Drive, turn west and travel to southbound Hartford Street.
There will be a temporary full closure of southbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Fountain Creek on Sunday, August 11, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to allow crews to perform bridge deck milling on the bridge over U.S. 85/87 to prepare to rehabilitate the bridge deck.
Detours will be in place:
- Southbound South Academy Boulevard traffic will exit at Bradley Road, travel east to Main Street, travel south to U.S. 85/87, continue south to Mesa Ridge Parkway, turn west to I-25 and travel north to MP 135.
- U.S. 85/87 traffic intending to enter South Academy Boulevard will continue north and west to B Street, travel south to Magrath Avenue, and turn onto eastbound South Academy Boulevard.
A shift of northbound South Academy Boulevard between Bradley Road and Milton Proby Parkway towards the center is ongoing to allow crews to perform drainage and median work. The new alignment will be in place for approximately five months.
A diversion of Coventry Drive traffic intending to travel west on South Academy is ongoing: westbound traffic will enter northbound I-25, travel to South Circle Drive (Mile Point 138), turn around and continue south to exit 135 to continue westbound South Academy. This detour will be in place for approximately one month.
A shift of eastbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Fountain Creek towards the center is ongoing to allow crews to work on the outside lanes, install drainage pipes, and prepare to construct a noise barrier. This alignment will be in place approximately until spring 2025.
Motorists are also advised that the shift of the northbound I-25 off-ramp to northbound South Academy Boulevard to a new alignment is ongoing and will have a short acceleration lane.
Motorists are advised to use caution at all entrance ramps as merge lengths have been shortened. In particular, motorists should be prepared to stop on the U.S. 85/87 on-ramp to eastbound South Academy and the Bradley Road on-ramp to eastbound South Academy since merge area is greatly reduced.
All lanes of Bradley Road under South Academy Boulevard are shifted to the center of the roadway ongoing to allow crews to perform work on new bridge piers.
These closures are weather dependent and subject to change.
Traffic Impacts
I-25 between U.S. 85/Fountain (MP 127) and South Academy Boulevard (MP 135)
- Southbound I-25 on and off-ramp closures at Exit 132A and 132B and Entrance 132, Friday, August 9, 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. Use detour routes.
- Southbound I-25 right lane closure at Mesa Ridge Parkway, Friday, August 9, 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.
South Academy Boulevard Widening Project
- Ongoing shift of eastbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Fountain Creek to middle until spring 2025.
- Ongoing temporary full closure of Hartford Street on-ramp to northbound South Academy Boulevard will tentatively end on Wednesday, August 7 at 3 p.m. Use detour route.
- Temporary full closure of South Academy Boulevard off-ramp to southbound Hartford Street begins Thursday, August 8, 7 p.m. in place for approximately four weeks. Use detour route.
- Ongoing shift of westbound South Academy Boulevard lanes between I-25 and Fountain Creek to middle until spring 2025.
- Ongoing Southbound Coventry Drive detour to westbound South Academy (in place for approximately one month).
- Full closure of existing southbound South Academy Boulevard on-ramp from U.S. 85/87 and shift to temporary on-ramp, in place until fall 2024.
- Ongoing full closure of existing northbound South Academy Boulevard on-ramp from U.S. 85/87 and shift to temporary on-ramp, in place until fall 2024.
- Ongoing shift of all lanes on Bradley Road under South Academy Boulevard bridge.
Interstate-25 – Safety and Efficiency Improvements
The improvements to I-25 addressed in this project are located along an approximately 7.5-mile segment of south I-25 beginning at South Academy Boulevard and extending to the Santa Fe Avenue (US 85/87) exit at Fountain (MP 128), which exits to Gate 19 of Fort Carson. The project includes:
- Replacement of two bridges crossing over South Academy Boulevard
- Widening of both inside and outside shoulders and installing safety improvements
- Concrete surface treatment overlay to provide an improved riding surface
- Installation of median barrier
- Rehab and widening work on four bridges
- Installation of an I-25 southbound deceleration lane at the interchange with Colorado Highway 16
South Academy Boulevard Widening Project
The improvements to South Academy Boulevard in this project are located on South Academy Boulevard at the southern mile and a half of this arterial road from the I-25 interchange, crossing U.S. 85/87, and continuing to the road’s approach to Milton Proby Parkway (which connects to Powers Boulevard/CO 21). Construction focuses on widening an approximately 1.5-mile section of South Academy Boulevard from two lanes to three in each direction to alleviate recurring congestion. The project includes improved drainage facilities, lighting, striping, and expanded shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls and bridgework. The project is expected to be complete by early 2026. This project is managed by El Paso County.
Safety Benefits
CDOT conducted a safety assessment for the corridor to evaluate the magnitude and nature of safety problems and analyze the causes of crashes. These transportation improvements are mitigation measures to reduce crashes, improve infrastructure, and address physical deficiencies that contribute to crashes in the corridor. Over the next twenty years, the project is estimated to result in fewer deaths, injuries, and crashes on the four MAMSIP corridors.
Project Contact Information
Website: https://www.codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements
Email: I25CO94.mamsip@gmail.com
Hotline: 719-800-2162
Register for Alerts: Text MAMSIP to 888-970-9665