Delayed Centennial Blvd. project starting soon

A project to improve a major west Colorado Springs road was supposed to start last month but is now scheduled to begin later this month.

The city has hired a contractor to work on a 1.5-mile stretch of Centennial Boulevard between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road.

However, both parties have needed more time to study the impact of utility lines in the area.

“There are high-pressure natural gas and electric lines running under the length of the road,” said Ryan Phipps, a public works engineer for the city. “We’re trying to build around them and avoid moving them, which could cost $1 million or more.”

The stretch of Centennial is considered one of the city’s worst roads, lined with potholes, patchwork repairs and crumbling pavement.

“Part of the problem is the road was built in three sections over three decades,” Phipps said. “The north end near Garden of the Gods is the oldest, and the south end near Fillmore is the newest and in better shape.”

Phipps said a mile-long segment of the north end will be repaired first and be completely rebuilt in a fashion that’s more extensive than a normal repaving job.

The south end and a middle section in front of the Holland Park neighborhood will be repaired next year, Phipps said, with the entire project expected to be finished next fall.

The project will cost $12 million, paid for with tax revenue from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority.