Overnight closures and detours are scheduled on South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs during the week of October 12, 2025, as part of ongoing roadwork under the Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP).
On Thursday, October 16, from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., northbound South Academy Boulevard between Interstate 25 and Bradley Road will be closed for traffic signal work. Detour routes will direct drivers onto southbound I-25 to Mesa Ridge Parkway (exit 132A), then east to CanAm Highway, northeast onto Main Street, west onto Bradley Road, and back north onto South Academy Boulevard. Traffic intending to enter northbound South Academy Boulevard from both directions of I-25 will also follow this route.
A full closure is planned for southbound South Academy Boulevard between Milton Proby Parkway and the CanAm Highway on Friday, October 17, from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., for lane striping operations. The detour will take southbound traffic onto Milton Proby Parkway, east to Hancock Expressway, then south on Main Street before turning northwest onto CanAm Highway (US 85/87) and rejoining South Academy Boulevard.
Additionally, alternating lane closures on both directions of South Academy Boulevard between Venetucci Boulevard and Milton Proby Parkway are expected overnight from Tuesday, October 14 through Thursday, October 16 for further lane striping. There will also be brief intermittent ramp closures at the intersection with I-25 during these nights.
Ongoing lane reductions continue on southbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Coventry Drive starting Monday, October 6 at 7 a.m., with additional traffic signal and island installations anticipated through October 12. During this period:
– The left lane on southbound South Academy Boulevard under I-25 will be closed while two through lanes remain open.
– The left turn lane from northbound South Academy Boulevard onto the northbound I-25 on-ramp will be closed west of the southbound ramps.
Motorists should expect delays throughout these closures—especially during peak hours—and are advised to allow extra time for travel and follow posted detour signs. Those accessing I-25 southbound should move into the center lane ahead of time.
There is an ongoing shift in alignment toward the center for both east- and westbound lanes between I-25 and Fountain Creek to facilitate outside lane work; this configuration is expected until November 2025. Lanes over US 85/87’s northbound bridge are narrowed due to continuing bridgework.
All scheduled closures depend on weather conditions and may change accordingly.
The improvements form part of a project widening approximately one-and-a-half miles of South Academy Boulevard—from two lanes to three each way—to reduce congestion near key military facilities such as Fort Carson and Peterson Space Force Base. Additional upgrades include new drainage systems, lighting enhancements, expanded shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls, and bridge improvements. Completion is targeted by early 2026; El Paso County manages the project.
The Colorado Department of Transportation conducted a safety assessment along this corridor prior to construction. Findings indicated that upgrades would help address recurring crash causes by improving infrastructure deficiencies in the area; over two decades following completion across four MAMSIP corridors—including I-25—fewer deaths and injuries are projected as a result.
“These transportation improvements are mitigation measures to reduce crashes, improve infrastructure, and address physical deficiencies that contribute to crashes in the corridor,” according to CDOT officials.
CDOT’s broader MAMSIP initiative aims at safer mobility along key regional routes like I-25 and Colorado Highway 94 while supporting economic stability around El Paso County’s military bases. The program receives partial funding from an $18 million BUILD grant awarded by the US Department of Transportation (codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements). These efforts seek to ensure more reliable access among Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, and Schriever Space Force Base by enhancing strategic movement capabilities within this nationally significant area.
