Section of Black Forest Road in El Paso County to remain closed overnight Thursday due to flooding

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A construction crew foreman said that a segment of Black Forest Road, between Woodmen and Cowpoke roads, will remain closed until Friday morning because of flooding from Thursday's rainstorms.

The segment was closed at around 10:30 a.m. as heavy runoff began pouring over Black Forest Road at the Vollmer Road intersection, and also flooded part of the road and a construction zone slightly to the north.

Crews used pumps to drain the worst of the flooding out of the immediate area.

Lanes are narrow along that stretch of Black Forest Road because of an ongoing widening project that includes the Vollmer intersection; the affected stretch of Vollmer has been closed for construction and isn't being affected by the flooding.

The situation frustrated drivers who turned north on Black Forest from Woodmen, only to see detour signs and a flagman directing them to turn around.

"Luckily, I'm not in the major traffic pattern of school drop-off and pickup normal hours, but it's pretty difficult just to get to my kids," said Angela Baker. "I'm glad that I don't have an emergency."

Chaundra Williams was among many drivers the closure caught by surprise.

"Yeah, I'm trying to pick up my son from work," she explained, "So, I have to go all the way into Peyton and into Black Forest. It's a lot of gas."

Caleb Rowan described the situation as the latest frustration with the widening project.

"It's ridiculous," he said. "I want to go home, but I've got to turn all the way around, so I hope they fix it someday. It'll take me around an extra ten minutes to get home."

The closure doesn't affect the Park & Ride lot at the northeast corner of the Black Forest and Woodmen roads intersection.

Meanwhile, floodwaters receded late Thursday afternoon in a low-lying area of Marksheffel Road, just north of the North Carefree Circle intersection, but returned early in the evening as more rain fell.

Southbound traffic splashed water and obscured vision for northbound drivers along the narrow two-lane stretch where several signs alert drivers to the risk of high water.

Much of the flooding in both locations appeared to originate from new or recently-new housing developments.