Academy Boulevard Improvements Project

Construction

Traffic Impacts

North Segment – Between Platte Avenue and Airport Road

Beginning Sunday night, March 12, crews will shift traffic on South Academy Boulevard between Platte Avenue and Airport Road to the outside lanes to allow crews to safely perform median removals and construction of detour pavement. After traffic is shifted, concrete barriers will be placed on southbound Academy Boulevard, reducing traffic to one lane for approximately five weeks while crews perform underground utility work. As underground work is complete, crews will reinstate two lanes of traffic on southbound Academy Boulevard. Expect delays and use alternative routes.

South Segment – South Academy Boulevard between East Fountain Boulevard and Jet Wing Drive

Crews begin site preparations on Monday, March 13, including locating underground utilities and installing temporary traffic control. To safely perform this work, crews will require daytime lane closures on South Academy Boulevard between Fountain Boulevard and Jet Wing Drive.

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 early 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: $59 million.

Previous Studies

Public Involvement

Construction Updates

Fact Sheets

Construction Public Involvement

Design Public Involvement

Public Meetings

Newsletters

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