I-25 Construction Update

Here’s another quick update on the Interstate 25 expansion project underway in North Colorado Springs.  Work is continuing, albeit at a slower pace than it was previously.  You will notice less crews working on the road these days but that does not mean that the project is complete.

Milled Pavement

You probably have noticed the cautionary messages displayed on the CDOT electronic message signs in the work zone warning motorcyclists to drive carefully through the work zone.  This is particularly important to motorcyclists because of the irregular surface of the road in that stretch.  Sections of the road have been milled to level out high spots (see photo on the right).  The sections that have been milled tend to have a thinner layer of pavement on them, which makes them especially prone to coming apart and creating potholes in the road surface.  This is noticeable enough in a car…but can be downright dangerous on a motorcycle.  Please give motorcyclists extra room in the construction zone as they may be forced to maneuver suddenly to avoid these problem areas.

There is one weather-related change to the construction schedule:

LaForet Trail Tunnel

Work on the tunnel beneath I-25 to accommodate the LaForet Trail, originally scheduled to start on February 1st, is being delayed until spring.  The cold weather that we have been experiencing, coupled with the snow, has made it difficult for crews to work on the tunnel until the snow and ice inside the tunnel has melted.  As such, this part of the project will be delayed until consistent warm weather arrives in the springtime and the snow and ice in the tunnel can melt.  Once work resumes, that section of the trail is expected to be closed for approximately a month.

Periodic Daytime Lane Closures

There will be periodic lane closures in the construction zone between North Academy Blvd and Hwy. 105 in Monument.  These closures will allow crews to work on filling potholes in the temporary road surface during these winter months before the final phase of construction starts in the spring to fully mill the asphalt and put down the final layer of pavement for the full length of the expansion.

Crews are also working to install new lighting and signage along the length of the expansion.  Lane closures will be required in these sections to provide a safe area for the workers.  These lane closures should only happen between the hours of 9am and 4pm.

I-25 Construction Update

Here’s the latest information from the Colorado Department of Transportation regarding the I-25 Expansion Project in North Colorado Springs.

Guardrail / Lighting Installation:

For the next few months, crews working on the I-25 expansion project will focus on installing guardrail, lights and signs along the 11-mile project. New guardrail has been installed in the southern segment of the project and that work will continue toward Monument in the coming months. Median lighting is also being installed and will be activated once all the wiring is complete. Lights on North Gate Boulevard where the new roundabouts were built should be in place and operational in spring.

Road Surface Conditions:

Crews will work throughout the winter months, weather permitting, to patch potholes to provide a smoother ride. Substantial work to complete the interstate expansion southbound between Monument and North Gate Boulevard will resume when warmer temperatures return in April. In the meantime, drivers will encounter periodic daytime left lane closures in areas where the interstate has been widened to three lanes.  Those single-lane closures will take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for light, guardrail and sign installation.

Left Lane Ends at Weigh Station:

Now that the third lane has been opened northbound to Monument, drivers are reminded that the left lane ends near the weigh station and they should merge right when possible to avoid last minute movements that could complicate traffic flow.

As a North Colorado Springs homeowner myself, I can say (as many of you can) that this expansion has made a huge difference in the traffic moving between Colorado Springs and Monument.  Can’t wait for it to be completely finished sometime this summer when the final layer of asphalt is laid down!

I-25 Construction Update

Here’s a the latest information on the Interstate 25 construction happening in North Colorado Springs.

Academy Blvd on ramp to southbound I-25 in North Colorado Springs

Since the last traffic realignment from a couple of weeks ago, merging onto southbound I-25 at Academy Boulevard in Briargate has been treacherous, to say the least.  What was originally a reasonably safe acceleration zone has now been reduced to an almost immediate merge.  The photo at the right clearly illustrates this point.  This was an unavoidable side effect to moving the traffic flow to the west to accommodate work on the center section of the highway.

The good news is that the Colorado Department of Transportation and the contractor doing the work on the highway are acutely aware of this issue and are taking steps to solve the problem.  The contractor has committed to accelerating the work on the center section so that traffic can then move back towards the east in the next traffic re-alignment.  This will free up more space for the on-ramp to become an uninterrupted merging lane from Academy Boulevard all the way to Woodmen Road.  The contractor is estimating this work to be complete by the end of September, but an exact date is dependent on any weather delays that may happen while work is progressing.

Until that next traffic re-alignment, CDOT is recommending that motorists stay on Academy Blvd and drive south to Woodmen Road and enter the highway at that point.  Click here for a map on how to navigate this option. 

In a related item, the area of reduced speed limits is being extended north in an effort to improve safety for both motorists and construction crews.  Speed limits will drop to 65 mph from County Line Road (exit 163, just atop Monument Hill).  These new speed limits will be strictly enforced by the Colorado State Patrol…so expect to see increased police presence in that stretch of road until the entire construction project wraps up next summer.

I-25 Construction Update

Here’s another quick update on some upcoming traffic realignments for the North Colorado Springs Interstate 25 widening project.

This next realignment plan will move traffic onto the outer portions of the new Squirrel Creek Bridges (north and southbound), which are located just north of Interquest Parkway, but south of Northgate Boulevard.

According to information obtained from the Colorado Department of Transportation, the first shift is scheduled for southbound traffic following overnight work between 8:30 p.m., Sunday August 18 and 5:30 a.m., Monday, August 19.  This shift will move southbound traffic to the newly constructed lanes on the west side of the existing roadway and over the new section of bridge over Squirrel Creek.  The northbound lane shift is scheduled for the following night between 8:30 a.m., August 19 and 5:30 a.m., August 20 and will move traffic onto the newly constructed lanes on the east side of the existing highway.

By moving traffic onto those new lanes, it will allow the construction teams to then demolish the existing bridges (in the newly closed lanes) and use that space to extend the width of the new bridges that will be taking the traffic after the lane switch.

Even though the construction is an annoyance to North Colorado Springs residents, the good news is that based on original construction estimates, it appears that the project is more or less keeping to the planned schedule.  Extending that schedule out beyond where we are today, that means that we should see a usable third lane of Interstate 25 open and available by the end of the year.  Plans indicate that, while traffic will have the extra lane capacity by the end of the year, those lanes (and the existing asphalt) won’t be totally re-paved until next summer.

 

Northgate Development – Copper Ridge

With the expansion and widening of I-25 well underway, I felt it was a good opportunity to re-visit some of the development that is happening in Northgate.  While the widening of the interstate will benefit everyone who lives and drives between North Colorado Springs and Monument, one of the bigger beneficiaries will be Northgate (as well as Gleneagle).

You’ve probably seen the activity happening just east of I-25 and south of the existing Northgate Boulevard interchange.  The Bass Pro Shops is very close to completion (scheduled to open later this year) with several new restaurants to follow close behind.

To facilitate easy access to this new retail area, the Northgate interchange is being redesigned as part of the I-25 widening project.  The benefits to this are many.  The existing interchange is dated and dangerous and does not meet current CDOT safety requirements.  The entrance and exit points are being moved south to allow for greater entry and exit space.  The new interchange will eventually become the connection point to the new Powers Boulevard Extension which is planned to connect to the rest of Powers Blvd at Hwy. 83.  Lastly, this is where the Copper Ridge development is happening, allowing for easy access to the new retail development from Interstate 25.  You can find the plan map for this interchange and the Copper Ridge development here or by clicking on the thumbnail.

The Gleneagle / Northgate sections of town are hot right now.  Houses in those areas are going, on average, for 100% of their asking prices.  For a detailed update on activity in that part of town in the first half of 2013, check out our recently posted Gleneagle Market Update video podcast.  Homes in this area sell quicker than the average home in the rest of El Paso County, so if you’re thinking about moving…now’s the time!

For assistance with any North Colorado Springs real estate issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time.

 

I-25 Construction Update

Photo courtesy CDOT

Here’s a quick update on the construction happening on I-25 in North Colorado Springs.

• There will be some lane shifts happening early next week both northbound and southbound (onto new pavement…how exciting!).  This will be between Briargate Blvd and North Academy:
  • Southbound shift will be on Monday July 15th at 5:30am.
  • Northbound shift will be on Tuesday July 16th at 5:30am.
• The following week, lane shifts are planned to occur between Woodmen Rd. and North Academy to accomodate work on the center median:
  • Northbound on Monday July 22nd at 5:30am
  • Southbound on Tuesday July 23rd at 5:30am

These lane shifts signify the beginning of “Phase 2” of the project, which will see the project move further north towards Northgate and Gleneagle as well as the widening of the highway between North Academy and Interquest, and between Black Squirrel Creek and North Gate Blvd.  Work will also begin shortly on the reconfiguring of the North Gate Boulevard interchange.

CDOT’s schedule still shows that the extra capacity (ie, a third driveable lane all the way to Monument) to be complete by the end of the year, with final paving etc. of the entire project to be complete by Summer 2014.