Portion of South Academy Blvd shut down for this weekend and the next

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Drivers have had to get used to ongoing construction on South Academy Boulevard near the Astrozon Boulevard intersection, but this weekend it will take a step up.

Starting at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, the City of Colorado Springs is warning drivers about the closure of South Academy Boulevard between Astrozon Boulevard and Chelton Road.

That closure will come with some detours for drivers. The city has mapped out detours, depending on which way they're going on South Academy:

• For those heading north on South Academy:
  • Go east on Hancock Expressway, north on Jet Wing Drive, west on Chelton Road, then return to South Academy Boulevard.
• For those heading south on South Academy:
  • Go west on Chelton Road, south on Delta Drive, east on Hancock Expressway, then return to South Academy Boulevard.

While these detours are annoying for drivers, they can also prove frustrating for the businesses along the closure. Especially for those in the Astrozon Shopping Center.

"It's good because they [are] fixing the city, but at the same time, it's bad for our business. So I think it's gonna affect a lot, but at least we have one entrance on Jet Wing [Drive], so people can still come," Raquel Figeroa, owner of Rachelle's Beauty Salon, which has a location in the shopping center.

The city says the road will open back up again on Monday, Aug.17 at noon.

However, the following weekend there will be another road closure for the same waterline project on a different portion of S Academy between Hancock Expressway and Astrozon Blvd.

For the weekend of Aug. 21-24 the detours are as follows:

• Northbound South Academy Boulevard: Go west on Hancock Expressway, north on Astrozon Boulevard, then return to South Academy Boulevard.
• Southbound South Academy Boulevard: Go west on Astrozon Boulevard, east on Hancock Expressway, then return to South Academy Boulevard.

The city says this project is the first major reconstruction of South Academy Boulevard since it opened in 1969.

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