Portion of I-25 Expansion Project could open by Thanksgiving

Workers on the I-25 Expansion Project were busy along the interstate Sunday morningas the deadline for opening a portion of the project creptcloser.

The Colorado Department of Transportation wants to open the third lane of a 4-mile stretch of I-25 northbound and southbound between Woodmen Road and Interquest Parkway by Thanksgiving.

Workers were given permission to work extra over the weekend to meet the deadline.

It was a chilly day on the road, but the sound of construction was cheery for drivers filling up their cars near the interstate.

“If they could open up that other lane it would be awesome,” said Daniel Skief.

“I’m excited, that would be awesome,” said John Dayhoff.

The 11-mile expansion project adds one additional lane in each direction of Interstate 25 between Woodmen Road in Colorado Springsand State Highway 105 in Monument. CDOT wants to get a 4-mile section open by Thursday. Its original goal was to open the remaining sections of the additional lanes by the end of December, but weather could delay that deadline.

The new lanes will ease traffic pains. However, in the meantime, James Gottlov says the construction for the project makes his commute worse.

“It takes me almost twice as long to get home and come to work,” said Gottlov.

He said if CDOT opens this stretch of interstate by Thursday, he’ll have another thing to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

“That would be amazing, that would be so much better,” said Gottlov.

A spokesperson for the project said this week’s weather will play a big role in determining whether or not crews will meet the Holiday deadline.

CDOT plans tohave all work for the expansion project wrapped up by December 2014.