Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Project. Nighttime I-25 off-ramp closures scheduled for traffic switches
El Paso County, Colorado, October 06, 2023- The Colorado Department of Transportation has scheduled temporary closures of the northbound I-25 off-ramp at Mesa Ridge Parkway (mile 132) on Monday, October 9 beginning at 6 p.m., and South Academy Boulevard (mile 135) on Tuesday, October 10 beginning at 7 p.m. as part of a traffic switch to new alignments for these ramps. There will also be I-25 northbound right lane closures, approaching both off-ramps, required to perform this work. All lanes will reopen on Tuesday at 6 a.m. and Wednesday at 5 a.m
Full closure of northbound I-25 off-ramp at Mesa Ridge Parkway:
- Monday, October 9, 6 p.m. to Tuesday, October 10, 6 a.m.
Full closure of northbound I-25 off-ramp at South Academy Boulevard:
- Tuesday, October 10, 7 p.m. to Wednesday, October 11, 5 a.m.
Nighttime northbound I-25 right lane closures:
- Monday, October 9, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. at mile 131.5 – 132
- Tuesday, October 10, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. at mile 134.5 – 135
Detours will be in place:
- Northbound traffic intending to exit at Mesa Ridge Parkway, on Monday, October 9, will continue north to South Academy Boulevard (mile 135), where they will turn around and re-enter I-25 south to mile 132.
- Northbound traffic intending to exit South Academy Boulevard, on Tuesday, October 10, will continue north to Lake Avenue/South Circle Drive (mile 138), where they will turn around and re-enter I-25 south to mile 135 or 132.
El Paso County – MAMSIP – South Academy Boulevard Widening Project
Bradley Road under the South Academy Boulevard bridge will be closed Tuesday, October 10, 7 p.m. to Wednesday, October 11, 4:30 a.m. for a traffic switch.
Detours will be in place:
- Eastbound Bradley Road traffic will be diverted south on South Academy Boulevard, exit onto the CanAm Highway, turn around and re-enter South Academy northbound to the Bradley Road exit, and turn east.
- Westbound Bradley Road traffic will be diverted to Hancock Expressway, turn north and turn west onto Milton Proby Parkway, turn south and travel to the Bradley Road exit, or turn north to continue on northbound South Academy.
All lanes of Bradley Road under South Academy Boulevard will be shifted to the north side of the roadway ongoing to allow crews to perform drilling for new caisson construction.
Drivers can anticipate an ongoing left lane closure on northbound and southbound South Academy Boulevard over Bradley Road to allow crews to perform bridge work. This left lane closure will be in place for approximately five months.
There will also be an ongoing auxiliary lane closure on northbound South Academy Boulevard between Hartford Street and Fountain Creek through mid-December for drainage line work.
These closures are weather dependent and subject to change.
Traffic Impacts
Night work on I-25 at Mesa Ridge Parkway (mile 132)
- Monday, October 9, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Full closure of northbound I-25 off-ramp at Mesa Ridge Parkway
- Northbound I-25 right lane closure at mile point 131.5 – 132
Night work on I-25 at South Academy Boulevard (mile 135)
- Tuesday, October 10, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Full closure of northbound I-25 off-ramp at South Academy Boulevard
- Northbound I-25 right lane closure at mile point 134.5 – 135)
South Academy Boulevard Widening Project
- Tuesday night, October 10, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., full closure of Bradley Road under the South Academy Boulevard bridge
Ongoing closures
- Northbound and southbound left lane closure at South Academy Boulevard over Bradley Road, in place for approximately five months
- Northbound auxiliary lane closure on South Academy Boulevard between Hartford Street and Fountain Creek. This auxiliary lane will be closed through mid-December
- Shift of all lanes on Bradley Road to north side of roadway under South Academy Boulevard bridge
- Closure of the Fountain Creek Regional Trail under South Academy Boulevard
Project Overview
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 (U.S. Highway 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. Highway 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
About: Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program Build Grant
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has initiated a program to deliver more efficient and safer mobility along I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard, and Charter Oak Ranch Road, enabling economic stability and development. The Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program is partially funded through an $18 million BUILD grant award from the US Department of Transportation. The delivery of these improvements will strengthen and enhance the redundancy of strategic movement between the nationally significant El Paso County military installations of Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, and Schriever Space Force Base.
About CDOT
CDOT’s Whole System-Whole Safety program has one simple mission — to get everyone home safely. Our approximately 3,000 employees work tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. The department manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,000 bridges and 35 mountain passes. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also operates Bustang, the state-owned interregional express bus service. Gov. Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.