Traffic Update: Highway 105A Construction Project impacts

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO)-- The El Paso County Highway 105A Construction Project kicked off the week of July 31, and in the coming weeks and months, drivers are being advised of substantial construction activity taking place in the area. 

Starting Wednesday, August 9, through approximately August/September, according to El Paso County, Knollwood Drive will be reduced to one lane in each direction (Southbound and Northbound) between Highway 105 and Village Ridge Point for utility work, while a temporary access from Highway 105 to Village Ridge Point is being constructed east of Integrity Bank. 

Officials state that the Southbound left turn onto Eastbound Village Ridge Point will NOT be allowed. Westbound, left out of Village Ridge Point, onto Southbound Knollwood, will also NOT be allowed. 

Traffic access to Monument Academy and the businesses along Village Ridge Point will be required to access Northbound Knollwood, with the right-in only to Village Point Ridge. 

• Right-out from Village Ridge Point to northbound Knollwood WILL be allowed. 
• Motorists will need to use Lake Woodmoor Drive or Woodmoor Drive to Highway 105 to get to Northbound Knollwood. 

On Thursday, August, 20, Highway 105 traffic near Knollwood will be shifted to the southside of the road to allow crews to work on the northside lanes. 

El Paso County officials state that starting the week of Monday, Aug. 14, night work will oversee waterline casings being installed across Highway 105.

Highway 105 will remain open, according to officials, but some lane restrictions will be required for construction work. 

The traffic configuration will return to daytime traffic by 7 a.m. daily. 

While not always visible throughout the day, El Paso County officials state that crews have been working on other construction efforts in tandem to the Highway 105A Construction Project including: 

• Surveying and installing erosion control along the project boundaries
• Stripping out the water quality pond site
• Working on the temporary access road to Village Ridge Point
• Removing the fencing from Knollwood Blvd. to near the I-25 northbound off-ramps
• Removing trees necessary to allow for the improvements to Hwy 105

Meanwhile, El Paso County officials state that roundabout completion is anticipated by the end of 2023/early 2024. 

At that time, Knollwood onto Village Ridge Point will reopen with access to the Monument Academy elementary school and the adjacent business. 

The new roundabout, coupled with new queuing lanes being constructed by Monument Academy, are designed to keep traffic moving and to reduce the traffic backups on Highway 105 that have previously occurred in the area. 

Work on the northside lanes of Highway 105 will take place for approximately one year, according to officials. Then, traffic will be shifted to the completed northside lanes to enable work to take place on the southside. 

El Paso County stated that the Highway 105A Construction Project is expected to continue into 2025. 

For the safety of the traveling public and construction crews El Paso County stated that drivers should: 

• Please slow down and pay attention to signs and traffic control. 
• Watch for workers and vehicles in the construction zone. 
• Adhere to posted speed limit signs. 
• Be considerate to drivers wanting to merge in. 

Once completed, the Highway 105A Construction Project will extend the 4-lane section of Highway 105 just east of Jackson Creek Parkway to Lake Woodmoor Drive, providing for greater mobility by accommodating more traffic. 

El Paso County stated that the new configuration for the Highway 105A project will be two lanes in each direction with left and right turn lanes. 

The project also includes multi-use shoulders and pedestrian improvements, sidewalk connectivity, replacement of the traffic signal at Knollwood Drive, a new underground drainage system, and water quality pond, and a new roundabout at the Knollwood Village Ridge Point intersection.

For more information about this project, visit the Highway 105A Construction Project website at the link here.