Powers Boulevard Extension: Highway 83 to Voyager Parkway

Although Powers Boulevard has been in the works for decades, this extension of the corridor hasn’t been built yet; however, public knowledge of this corridor was officially established in 1998. As final design progresses, an updated noise study is required to evaluate future impacts using the most current data and methods.

Bridge construction is anticipated to begin early 2026. Waterline relocation construction is under contract and is anticipated to begin in early February. This utility relocation is a precursor to bridge construction. Powers Blvd roadway construction will happen in later phases. 

Post-construction noise analysis is not anticipated.

The roadway location and elevation (profile) was determined in previous project phases based upon engineering considerations such as drainage, safety, and existing topography. Current and future project phases will not include any modifications to the established roadway profile.

Speed limits are determined based on federal, state, and local design standards for established road classifications and location context. The speed limit for each classification informs the design requirements to ensure traffic safety and operation. Powers Blvd is classified as a freeway.

Traffic volume forecasts are prepared using regional travel models to account for future growth. The design accounts for both current traffic volumes and projected 2050 traffic volumes.

Flying Horse Club Drive will remain open through the duration of construction with one lane in each direction. The traffic will be shifted during different construction phases but will always remain open to traffic.

Ridgeline Drive will be closed for the duration of the bridge construction at that location.

Utilities are being relocated for the project, but service interruptions are not anticipated. If the need for short-term disruptions in service arise during the project, this will be communicated to residents with advance notice.

The City of Colorado Springs is studying traffic noise along the Powers Boulevard Extension to understand how the future roadway may impact nearby neighborhoods and properties. The study is part of a federally required environmental evaluation process. For more information, click here to review a white paper about the noise study.

This refers to the date when a formal federal decision was made about the original Powers Boulevard corridor. In this case, that date is January 1998. Any development approved after that date is subject to the understanding that funding for noise mitigation may not apply (e.g., developments within Flying Horse).

Flying Horse was annexed on Oct. 28, 2003 (meaning brought into the city limits), after the date of public knowledge.

Powers Boulevard has always been included in all development plans for the area, including Flying Horse, and land (right of way) has been preserved for future highway construction. 

The study identifies potential impacts based on noise thresholds. If impacts are found, the next step is to determine if mitigation is both feasible (it works) and reasonable (cost-effective and supported by residents) under Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) criteria.

IF it qualifies, nearby property owners would be contacted during a future phase to gather input before any decisions are made.

Potential mitigation strategies, if warranted and approved, could include physical measures such as landscaped berms or other sound-reducing features, depending on the unique conditions of the area.

A 500-foot buffer from the future travelway edge defines the “study area.” Within this zone, “noise-sensitive receptors”—places like homes, schools, parks, and churches— are analyzed using 3D noise modeling. The model factors in: 

• Projected traffic volumes and speeds
• Roadway design (including bridges, cut/fill, barriers, etc.)
• Topography and ground type
• Existing structures like buildings or walls that could reflect or block sound

If noise levels meet federal impact thresholds (66 dB or a 10 dB increase), then mitigation will be considered. 

Considered mitigation strategies must meet the following criteria to continue in the evaluation:

• Reduce noise by at least 5 dB for 3+ properties and confirm buildability of potential mitigation from a design and construction standpoint (feasibility)
• Reduce by 7 dB for 2+ properties, be cost-effective, and have majority support from those who would benefit—based on noise computer model results—from the strategy (reasonableness)

IF those criteria are met, CDOT and FHWA must approve the solution. Then, and only then, would residents be surveyed. The survey would be sent only to those “noise sensitive” places (like homes, schools, parks, and churches) that would benefit from mitigation, based on the noise computer model results. In other words, not all community members within the 500 ft study area would receive a survey, IF a survey about potential mitigation is distributed. 

Potential mitigation would be considered for implementation only if at least 51 percent of survey responses indicate support for the potential mitigation measure.

Imagine your home currently experiencing 56 dB of traffic noise. If future conditions would raise that to 66 dB or higher—or even to 66 from 56—that would trigger mitigation review. A 10 dB increase, even if under 66, would also qualify as an impact under federal rules.

Example: normal conversation is around 60 dB and the average gas lawnmower is between 85 and 100 dB.