Busy El Paso County road closes as major construction project gets underway

If you’re driving just east of Colorado Springs, you may run into delays because of a major construction project.

Marksheffel Road closed Monday from the northeast gate of Peterson Air Force Base to Drennan Road. Commuters will still have access to the Peterson Air Force Base East Gate, but no traffic will be allowed on Marksheffel Road south of the Gate to Drennan Road.

Orange safety cones and detours are in place to help commuters navigate the detour.

The project is supposed to get rid of several dangerous curves and improve safety and capacity on the roadway.

El Paso County engineers say closing traffic altogether, instead of working around it, should reduce construction time by at least six months.

This project is paid by the voter approved Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority one-cent sales tax.

It’s expected to last four months. The full project should be complete later this year.