Lane closures and detours are scheduled for South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs as part of ongoing construction related to the Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP). The work is aimed at improving traffic flow and safety along this key transportation corridor.
On Wednesday, Aug. 20, there will be an eastbound right lane closure on South Academy Boulevard between Venetucci Boulevard and Interstate 25 from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Asphalt milling operations will take place during this time. The eastbound South Academy Boulevard on-ramp near Pikes Peak State College parking lot B and the eastbound on-ramp to southbound I-25 will also be closed. Detour routes will be available for affected drivers.
Overnight full closures of three sections of northbound South Academy Boulevard are planned during the week of Aug. 17. Crews will conduct road surface milling in preparation for new pavement:
– Northbound South Academy Boulevard under I-25 will close on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
– Northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and US Highway 85/87 will close on Thursday, Aug. 21, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
– Northbound South Academy Boulevard between US Highway 85/87 and Bradley Road will close on Friday, Aug. 22, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
A separate overnight full closure is set for southbound South Academy Boulevard between US Highway 85/87 and Bradley Road on Thursday, Aug.21, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., allowing crews to apply new lane striping.
Traffic detours will guide motorists around these closures; drivers are advised to follow posted signs.
Additionally, a shift of east- and westbound lanes between I-25 and Fountain Creek continues so crews can work on outside lanes; this configuration is expected through September 2025. Lane narrowing across the southbound bridge over US Highway 85/87 remains in effect for bridgework.
Drivers should note that the alignment of the northbound I-25 off-ramp onto northbound South Academy Boulevard has changed and now features a short acceleration lane. All entrance ramps have shortened merge lengths due to construction changes, including a new on-ramp from US Highway 85/87 onto South Academy Boulevard.
These scheduled closures depend on weather conditions and may change if necessary.
The current widening project covers approximately one-and-a-half miles of South Academy Boulevard starting at the I-25 interchange and continuing past US Highway 85/87 toward Milton Proby Parkway (which links with Powers Boulevard/CO 21). The work includes expanding the road from two lanes to three in each direction, improved drainage facilities, lighting upgrades, expanded shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls, updated striping, and bridgework enhancements.
El Paso County manages this project with completion targeted for early 2026.
According to CDOT’s safety assessment of the corridor, these improvements serve as mitigation measures designed “to reduce crashes, improve infrastructure, and address physical deficiencies that contribute to crashes in the corridor.” Over a projected twenty-year period after completion across all four MAMSIP corridors—South Academy Boulevard among them—the upgrades are expected “to result in fewer deaths, injuries and crashes.”
CDOT has initiated MAMSIP as part of broader efforts “to deliver more efficient and safer mobility along I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard, and Charter Oak Ranch Road,” supporting both economic development needs as well as military installation access in El Paso County such as Fort Carson and several Space Force bases (Peterson Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Schriever Space Force Base). The program received partial funding through an $18 million BUILD grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
For further information about project schedules or detours visit codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements or register for alerts by texting MAMSIP to 888-970-9665.
“There will be an eastbound South Academy Boulevard right lane closure between Venetucci Boulevard and Interstate 25 on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for asphalt roadway milling operations.”
“Detours will be in place.”
“Temporary full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard under I-25 on Wednesday, Aug.20 ,7 p.m.to5:30a.m.”
“Temporary full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and US Highway85/87onThursday ,Aug .21 ,7p .m .to5 :30a .m.”
“Temporary full closure of northbound SouthAcademyBoulevardbetweenUS85 /87andBradleyRoadonFriday ,Aug .22 ,7p .m .to5 :30a .m.”
“Ongoing shift of east-and westboundSouthAcademyBoulevardbetweenI -25andFountainCreekuntilAugust2025”
“The improvements toSouthAcademyBoulevardinthisprojectarelocatedonSouthAcademyBoulevardatthesouthernmileanda halfofthisarterialroadfromtheI -25interchange,crossingUSHighway85 /87,andcontinuingtotheroad’sapproachtoMiltonProbyParkway(whichconnectstoPowersBoulevard /CO21 ).Constructionfocusesonwideninganapproximately1 .5-milesectionofSouthAcademyBoulevardfromtwolanestothreeineachdirectiontoalleviaterecurringcongestion.Theprojectincludesimproveddrainagefacilities ,lighting ,striping,andexpandedshoulders ,modifiedmergelanes,soundwallsandbridgework.Theprojectisexpectedtobecompletebyearly2026.ThisprojectismanagedbyElPasoCounty.”
“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 .Overthenext20years,theprojectisestimatedtoresultinfewerdeaths ,injuriesandcrashesonthefourMAMSIPcorridors.”
“Colorado DepartmentofTransportation(CDOT)hasinitiatedaprogramtodelivermoreefficientandsafermobilityalongI -25 ,ColoradoHighway94 ,SouthAcademyBoulevard,andCharterOakRanchRoad,enablingeconomicstabilityanddevelopment.TheMilitaryAccess,Mobility&SafetyImprovementProgramispartiallyfundedthroughan$18millionBUILDgrantawardfromtheUSDepartmentofTransportation.ThedeliveryoftheseimprovementswillstrengthenandenhancetheredundancyofstrategicmovementbetweenthenationallysignificantElPasoCountymilitaryinstallationsofFortCarson ,PetersonSpaceForceBase ,CheyenneMountainSpaceForceStation,andSchrieverSpaceForceBase.”
