Chestnut Street bridge project frustrates drivers
Having three months of detours remaining around a Colorado Springs bridge project doesn’t soothe drivers who think the project has lasted too long already.
Those drivers also may find little consolation in a major milestone reached Thursday by workers on Chestnut Street: the placement of concrete arches at the project site.
Tanita Harrison is among drivers critical about the length of the project.
“It’s been a long detour getting my son to and from school every day,” she said. “It’s inconvenient. I don’t believe they’ll be finished in November as they say.”
A year has passed since a sinkhole opened after a rainstorm on the bridge between Vondelpark Drive and Ellston Street.
The damage led city officials to declare an emergency situation to get the bridge, which crosses South Douglas Creek near Interstate 25, replaced faster than on a normal schedule in which the design phase alone can take as long as a year.
The Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority moved up the bridge’s scheduled 2019 replacement and allocated $3.5 million.
Officials said people who complain about the length of the project may not realize its scope and complexity.
“The previous structure was an 8-foot diameter corrugated metal pipe,” said Alex Pellegrino, a city civil engineer. “So it was undersized. It wasn’t really structurally adequate for what we’re looking for on our bridges today.”
Pellegrino said the new bridge will be wider, stronger and able to withstand a 100-year flood.
“We’re doing advanced waterproofing techniques to extend the life of the bridge,” he said. “Everything that goes into a bridge is spending the money correctly.”
The concrete arches will support the bridge and form the shell of a tunnel for bicycles, walkers and runners to pass underneath. The tunnel connects to the nearby Sinton Trail.
“We wanted to add a safety feature because the Chestnut-Ellston intersection is the city’s worst for accidents involving vehicles and trail users,” Pellegrino said. “But we’ll keep the existing trail connection on the bridge so that people have two choices.”
Hal Hildebrand, a neighborhood resident since 1970, said he watches the construction three days a week.
“I like what they’re doing,” he said. “As the project went on, I could see it was a huge undertaking. I understand why it’s taking so long. The only thing I worry about is whether the culvert under I-25 can handle the improved drainage under the bridge.”
During the project, workers have pumped creek water around the construction area.
“We’ve had some rainy days this year that have slowed us at times,” Pellegrino said. “But we’ve been able to catch up in other aspects.”
Some residents said the neighborhood is quieter with less traffic coming through.
