Overnight full closures are scheduled for northbound South Academy Boulevard between US 85/87 and Milton Proby Parkway on Sunday, September 14, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., as part of ongoing asphalt paving work. Contingency dates are set for Monday, September 15, and Tuesday, September 16. A detour will direct northbound drivers south at US 85/87 to Fontaine Boulevard, then north on Grinnell Boulevard, west on Bradley Road, north on Hancock Expressway, and west onto Milton Proby Parkway before rejoining South Academy.
Lane reductions continue in both directions of South Academy Boulevard between Venetucci Boulevard and Coventry Drive. These began on Monday, September 8, to allow crews to install traffic signals and islands and are expected to remain until September 2025. According to project details available at https://www.codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements/, these changes are intended to maintain worker safety during construction.
The two left turn lanes for the Interstate 25 northbound on-ramp (135 ramp) have been reduced to one lane along with other auxiliary lanes and shoulders; however, two through lanes remain open in each direction on South Academy in this area.
Delays are anticipated during peak hours. Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time, maintain safe following distances, merge early near work zones, and use caution due to shortened merge lengths at entrance ramps.
There is an ongoing shift of east- and westbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Fountain Creek toward the center of the roadway for outside lane work. This alignment is expected through September 2025.
Bridge work continues over US 85/87 with narrowed lanes across the southbound bridge. The shift of the northbound I-25 off-ramp onto Northbound South Academy Boulevard remains in effect with a short acceleration lane now present.
A new temporary on-ramp has replaced existing ramps from US 85/87 onto South Academy Boulevard as part of the broader construction efforts.
The improvements focus on widening about a mile-and-a-half section of South Academy from two lanes to three in each direction starting at the I-25 interchange across US Highway 85/87 up toward Milton Proby Parkway (which connects with Powers Boulevard/CO 21). The project includes drainage upgrades, lighting enhancements, striping updates, expanded shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls and bridgework. Completion is targeted by early 2026 under management by El Paso County.
A safety assessment conducted by CDOT identified issues contributing to crashes within this corridor; planned improvements aim to mitigate those problems over the next two decades by reducing deaths and injuries across four key corridors included in the Military Access Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP).
“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 20 years, the project is estimated to result in fewer deaths, injuries and crashes on the four MAMSIP corridors.”
The Military Access Mobility & Safety Improvement Program covers I-25 as well as Colorado Highway 94 and Charter Oak Ranch Road alongside South Academy Boulevard—routes considered important for access among local military installations including Fort Carson; Peterson Space Force Base; Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station; Schriever Space Force Base—and aims also at supporting regional economic development. Funding includes an $18 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“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.”
All closures depend on weather conditions which may cause schedule adjustments.
