Lane closures are scheduled for South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs from December 1 to December 5, between Venetucci Boulevard and Milton Proby Parkway. The closures will occur from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day to allow crews to install signage and complete remaining roadway, traffic signal lighting, and utility work. Two lanes of traffic will remain open in both directions during this period. Drivers are advised to follow posted speed limits, keep safe distances, and watch for workers and equipment.
The lane restrictions are part of the ongoing South Academy Boulevard Widening Project. This project focuses on expanding a 1.5-mile stretch of South Academy Boulevard—from the I-25 interchange across US 85/87 to near Milton E. Proby Parkway—from two lanes to three lanes in each direction. The goal is to reduce recurring congestion in the area. Additional improvements include enhanced drainage systems, lighting, striping, wider shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls, and bridgework. Completion is expected by early 2026, with El Paso County managing the project.
A safety assessment was conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for this corridor to better understand crash causes and identify physical deficiencies contributing to accidents. According to CDOT: “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 two decades, officials estimate that fewer deaths, injuries, and crashes will occur along the four Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP) corridors as a result of these upgrades.
CDOT has launched an initiative aimed at improving mobility and safety along I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard, and Charter Oak Ranch Road—routes critical for access between several major military installations in El Paso County such as Fort Carson and Peterson Space Force Base. As stated by CDOT: “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.” Partially funded through an $18 million BUILD grant from the US Department of Transportation (https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants), MAMSIP aims to support economic stability while enhancing transportation infrastructure.
More information about construction schedules or updates can be found at codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements.
