Drivers, Merchants Weigh Impact Of New Interchange

Many drivers said the need to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Academy Boulevard and Woodmen Road in Colorado Springs outweighs any negative impacts. But at least two nearby businesses might disagree.

The Boston Market restaurant in a shopping center at that intersection closed in February after business dropped off during construction of the overpass on Woodmen. An adjacent dry-cleaning shop has lost 70 percent of its business during the same period, said owner James Pang.

Both businesses are located nearest the overpass, which is built high enough to make seeing the businesses difficult for passing drivers. The impact on the businesses surprised the acting city engineer.

“I hadn’t heard about it,” said engineer Mike Chaves. “All the other businesses seem to have done OK. Great efforts were made by the city and the contractor to keep access open. We did the best we could.”

Some drivers also complain that the overpass is confusing because of traffic signals and ramps on and off the structure, and that they expected the overpass to operate more like the interchange at Austin Bluffs Parkway and Union Boulevard. On that overpass, drivers proceed without stopping but must stop underneath on Union. At the new interchange, Academy gets the through traffic.

“It’s been a good thing and it’s needed,” said driver Kim Guinaugh. “But it is a little confusing. A couple of times, we had to come up here and turn around because we missed our turn.”

“I’m OK with it,” said Eileen LaGrassa, another driver. “I don’t think it’s too complicated. It’s sad to see that it affected some people’s businesses. But I think it’s a nice bridge.”

Chaves said the lack of space from the concentration of businesses around the new interchange limited the flexibility in designing it. There was much more room with which to work at Austin Bluffs and Union, he said.

Only some minor landscaping, striping and light installation remain before the $42 million project is finished. It was financed with local and federal money.