Academy Boulevard Improvements Project

Construction

Traffic Impacts

(All schedules are weather dependent)

INFORMACIÓN ACTUALIZADA DE LA CONSTRUCCIÓN - 12 de julio de 2024

A detour map showing the intersection of South Academy Boulevard and Airport Road. All information provided on webpage.

Airport Road will open west of South Academy Boulevard on Friday, July 26.

The night of Sunday, July 28 both eastbound and westbound Airport Road trafﬁc will be fully closed east of South Academy Boulevard to allow crews to complete underground utility reconstruction and intersection improvements to open the intersection fully. This closure will be in place through mid-September. Airport Road motorists are advised to detour north to Pikes Peak Avenue via South Academy Boulevard and Murray Boulevard for east and west access. All businesses will remain open and accessible throughout the closure, access from South Academy Boulevard is advised. Access will be maintained to all businesses between Ruskin Drive and South Academy Boulevard from Airport Road.

South Academy Boulevard impacts south of Hancock Expressway

To continue underground work on South Academy Boulevard south of Hancock Expressway, travel lanes will be temporarily moved to the east. Crews will move travel lanes in phases requiring lane closures from Monday, July 15 through Wednesday, July 17.

Boychuck Avenue closes south of Hancock Expressway

Boychuck Avenue will fully close in front of the Lamplighter neighborhood between Hancock Expressway and Drennan Road to repave the roadway and install new curb and gutter where underground utility lines were recently installed. Closures will be in place Thursday, July 11, Friday, July 12 and from Monday, July 15 through Wednesday, July 19. The main entrance to the Lamplighter Neighborhood will be fully closed; neighborhood trafﬁc will use the southern entrance.

Motorists accessing Boychuck Avenue north of the Lamplighter Neighborhood should use Hancock Expressway.
Motorist accessing Boychuck Avenue south of the Lamplighter Neighborhood should use Drennan Road.

Expect delays and use alternative routes.

About

The City of Colorado Springs is moving forward to put Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) dollars to work. Along with contractor partner AMES Construction, the City will begin work to improve the safety, provide better mobility and pedestrian access, and improve storm sewers on S. Academy Boulevard between Bijou Street and Airport Road, and between East Fountain Boulevard and Jet Wing Drive (18 lane miles).

The vision for this corridor is guided by studies that helped define the need for infrastructure improvements and community revitalization. The Project will replace aging pavement, curb and gutter and improve drainage along the project corridor. To provide for better multi-modal and pedestrian access, a new multi-use path will be constructed on one side of Academy Boulevard. Significant drainage improvements will be installed in the roadway, including new manholes, inlets, and drainage pipe. Colorado Springs Utilities also will relocate and upgrade water and wastewater lines in support of the roadway project.

When the project is complete in 2025, look for

A smoother, more comfortable driving surface
Reduction and/or elimination of ponding water on the roadway surface
Improved pedestrian accessibility

Project Construction Schedule

Construction of the corridor will be divided into 2 different segments over the course of 24 months:

Segment 1 (North) – South Academy Boulevard between Bijou Street and Airport Road
- Construction starts late February 2023
Segment 2 (South) – South Academy Boulevard between East Fountain Boulevard and Jet Wing Drive
- Construction starts Spring 2023

The construction will focus on replacing aging infrastructure with new pavement including 7.5 inches of new asphalt with new curb and gutter over reclaimed and recompacted base course.

Segment 1 (North) – South Academy Boulevard between Bijou Street and Airport Road)

Phasing

In construction Phase 1, traffic will be initially pushed to the outsides of Academy Boulevard to support median demo and construction of detour pavement.
Phase 2 traffic will be pushed to the west half of the roadway to construct the east side of the roadway, and
Flipped in Phase 3 to the east side to complete the west side of the roadway, then again pushed to the outside to complete the median construction.
During phased construction, traffic will be limited to two lanes in each direction, from the current three lane configuration, and temporary access will need to be maintained to smaller side streets and businesses accesses.

Funding

This is a voter-approved, Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) A-listed project. Estimated cost to repair existing asphalt (18 lane miles), concrete and storm sewers: $62 million.