CDOT discusses priority of El Paso County long-term road projects

On Wednesday, the Colorado Department of Transportation clarified which road projects planned for El Paso County will have state funding and which have yet to be funded.

Some people were feeling uncertain about the matter after a work session Tuesday in Colorado Springs hosted by El Paso County commissioners and attended by Shoshana Lew, CDOT’s executive director.

Karen Rowe, a CDOT regional director, said all 33 projects on a list to be completed by the end of 2023 will be funded by the agency. The total cost for those projects will be $210 million.

For a list of 23 future projects, however, Rowe said CDOT has no money available yet.

“We identified $2.5 billion in needs just in El Paso County alone,” she said. “We would have had $500 million available if a ballot measure had passed, but it didn’t. We need more funding by the Legislature, but CDOT has no control over that. So now we’re starting over, going to all 64 Colorado counties and asking elected leaders what they think the priorities should be.”

Rowe said the list of 23 future projects hasn’t been prioritized but one could be funded next year — the construction of an overpass at the busy intersection of Powers Boulevard and Research Parkway.

“We may not know until next summer if we’ll get funding for that,” she said. “It’s a $40 million project that will take two years to complete. It’s been identified as the biggest local priority.”

Rowe said the 33 current projects are either finished, under construction, or scheduled to begin soon.

Among those projects are the Interstate 25 “Gap” widening, the design for extending North Powers Boulevard to I-25, the repaving of U.S. 24 between Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, and improvements to the intersection of Highway 83 and County Line Road north of Black Forest.
El Paso County Commissioner Holly Williams said she and her constituents are frustrated with CDOT’s funding issues.

“We’re seeing a tremendous amount of growth in El Paso County,” she said. “We need to get all these projects done as soon as possible. But at the current level of funding, we’ll be lucky to get half of those future projects done.”

Brandy Williams, the city engineer for Fountain, said more attention should be given to extending South Powers Boulevard to I-25.

“We really need that,” she said. “It’s not the east side loop Commissioner (Stan) VanderWerf wants, but it will be a big help for our community.”

Rowe mentioned installing acceleration lanes on I-25 between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road as an example of an inexpensive but effective traffic improvement that could be a future priority.

Building more overpasses at busy intersections, adding lanes to roads and widening road shoulders are other suggestions that have been made.

“We’re getting a lot done right now,” Rowe said. “Next spring, we’ll start ramp metering to improve traffic flow on I-25 through town. We’re almost finished with a project that installs signs and lane markings to reduce wrong-way driving on I-25.”

Rowe said CDOT plans to increase its Bustang service to and from Denver but mass transit plans remain in the early stages.

“There’s a rail study that won’t be finished for another year or so,” she said. “When it’s done, it’ll tell us how much a rail system would cost, how to pay for it, and where it will go.”

Both project lists do not include more than $100 million in several projects announced by CDOT last month to improve transportation in and out of local military installations.

CDOT is using responses from a public survey on its website to help determine future project priorities. More than 6,000 people have responded so far, and the survey continues for another month.

To participate in the survey, visit https://yourtransportationplan.metroquest.com/

CDOT has scheduled a work session with the Colorado Springs City Council at 9 a.m. Thursday to discuss similar matters.