Lane closures are scheduled for both directions of South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs from Monday, Dec. 8 through Friday, Dec. 12, between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., according to a recent announcement. The affected stretch is between Venetucci Boulevard and Milton Proby Parkway. Crews will be installing signage and completing remaining work on the roadway, traffic signals, and lighting during this period. Two lanes of traffic will remain open in each direction.
The ongoing South Academy Boulevard Widening Project covers approximately 1.5 miles of the road from the I-25 interchange, crossing US 85/87, to just before Milton E. Proby Parkway. This section is being expanded from two lanes to three lanes in each direction to address frequent congestion issues. Additional improvements include enhanced drainage systems, lighting upgrades, new striping, wider shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls, and bridgework. El Paso County manages the project and expects completion by early 2026.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted a safety assessment for the corridor to better understand safety challenges and crash causes in the area. These upgrades are intended as mitigation measures aimed at reducing crashes and addressing infrastructure deficiencies that contribute to accidents along the corridor.
“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.
Over a projected 20-year period following completion of the project, officials estimate fewer deaths, injuries, and crashes across four Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP) corridors.
The MAMSIP initiative is part of a broader effort led by CDOT to enhance mobility and safety along key routes including I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard, and Charter Oak Ranch Road. The program aims to support economic stability and development while improving transportation connections between major military installations in El Paso County such as Fort Carson and several Space Force bases.
The program received partial funding through an $18 million BUILD grant from the US Department of Transportation.
For more information about these projects or to sign up for alerts about construction impacts or updates on progress visit codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements or text MAMSIP to 888-970-9665.
