Academy Boulevard Improvements Project

Construction

Traffic Impacts

(All schedules are weather dependent)

South Academy Boulevard between Platte Avenue and Airport Road

Pikes Peak Ave. will fully reopen at South Academy Blvd. on Tuesday, May 14. Crews continue intersection improvements east of South Academy Blvd. on Pikes Peak Ave. and will reopen all trafﬁc movements through the intersection after restriping is complete (weather dependent).

Beginning Monday, May 20 a full closure of Airport Rd., west of South Academy Blvd., will be in place through the summer. Both eastbound and westbound Airport Rd. will be fully closed west of South Academy Blvd. to allow crews to complete various underground utility and intersection improvements.

Airport Rd. motorists are advised to detour north to Pikes Peak Ave. using Chelton Rd. and South Academy Blvd. for east and west access.
Academy Blvd. motorists detour for west Airport Rd., travel west on Pikes Peak Ave., then south on Chelton Rd. to Airport Rd.

All businesses will remain open and accessible throughout the closure, access from South Academy Blvd. is advised.

South Academy Boulevard between East Fountain Boulevard and Jet Wing Drive

From Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24 and again from Tuesday, May 28 through Monday, June 3, Boychuck Avenue will be fully closed in front of the Lamplighter Neighborhood between Hancock Expy. and Drennan Rd. The main entrance to the Lamplighter Neighborhood will be fully closed, neighborhood trafﬁc will use the southern entrance.

Motorist access to Boychuck Ave. north of the Lamplighter Neighborhood should use Hancock Expy.
Motorist access to Boychuck Ave. south of the Lamplighter Neighborhood are encouraged to use Drennan Rd.

These closures will expedite underground waterline installation and new roadway paving along Boychuck Ave. and South Academy Blvd.

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.