Pikes Peak Highway shuttles will alleviate bottlenecks near summit

The shuttles that will let Pikes Peak visitors finish their trips to the summit are expected to launch Friday, meaning Thursday marked the last day for a while that you could drive yourself up to the top.

Construction is set to start at the Pikes Peak Summit House, and with continuing road work on the way up to the top, America’s Mountain is relying on the shuttles for the last leg up in an effort to stave off bottlenecks of cars due to lack of space.

We decided to drive the Pikes Peak Highway Thursday, and so did thousands of visitors, many of whom were unaware that they just made the cutoff to drive those final switchbacks by their own hand. ( PHOTOS )

The road itself isn’t an issue, but construction crews were working on several patches, causing lanes to be shut down and traffic backups that lasted up to 20 minutes. Cue the shuttles: with fewer personal cars on the road, those backups won’t have to last as long.

For personal vehicles, they’ll have to stop at the Devil’s Playground area of the highway. That’s where they’ll hop on the shuttles and finish the last two miles of the trip. There are some exceptions, including those whose vehicles are specifically equipped for handicapped people.

But don’t feel like you’re missing out on an exhilarating drive, there are still plenty of curves and switchbacks with no guardrails separating you from sheer drops.

“I think you have enough experience coming up to that point, I don’t think it’s any different coming from that point up to here,” said Otto Scherrieble, who was visiting the peak with his family from upstate New York.

The shuttles are expected to start service at 8 a.m. Friday, and there’s another loading point near the gate. The shuttles will be in service for the duration of the tourist season, but construction is expected to last for at least two years.