Project starts Monday to ease congestion in SW Colorado Springs

It’s an area of southwest Colorado Springs where three streets meet and is surrounded by businesses and generates heavy traffic congestion during the day.

Many drivers well know — and try to avoid — the intersection of Nevada Avenue, Southgate Road and Cheyenne Road. But a project begins Monday to try and ease congestion while improving traffic flow there.

The project will add a westbound lane on Southgate and Cheyenne, widen the right turn lane on northbound Nevada and improve traffic signals at the intersection.

However, the work will be tricky. Workers will periodically close and shift lanes between rush hour periods — from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — and on some weekends. Two-way traffic will continue with narrowed lanes.

Roanoke Drive, on the west end of the project area, will be the first affected by traffic restrictions.

Drivers expressed mixed opinions about the project.

“I really think (the intersection) is fine the way it is,” said Michelle Chelette. “It’s not that heavy most of the time. If you go into other cities, the traffic’s a lot worse.”

“How are you going to divert all the congestion?” asked Brenda Sue Ewing. “It’s going to cause a lot of backups, a lot of accidents.”

The project is scheduled for completion in mid-February.