Erosion damage forces crews to close westbound traffic on South Academy Boulevard bridge over Fountain Creek in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The challenge of navigating the construction zone for a widening of South Academy Boulevard near Interstate 25, is now a lot tougher because of a new problem.

Brett Hartzell, project manager for El Paso County, said that "a small amount of movement" discovered in a piling under the boulevard's bridge over Fountain Creek, led officials to close westbound traffic there until further notice.

The closure was announced Tuesday night and created a traffic nightmare for drivers Wednesday, especially during morning and evening rush hours.

"The important thing was closing the bridge as a safety precaution and informing the public quickly," Hartzell said.

He explained that crews found the problem during a routine bridge inspection as part of the widening project.

"We didn't expect to find it but we weren't surprised by it," Hartzell said of the 50-year-old structure. "But we already had a plan in place, in case we did find it."

According to Hartzell, damage to the piling was caused by a process called scouring, in which flooding from a waterway under a bridge can erode the round under it.

He said the precise manner of repair hasn't been decided yet.

"It would be more than just simply forming concrete," he said. "It might be adding rebar, it might be temporary bracing while we do work, those sorts of things."

Hartzell said that he didn't know how long the repair would take, or how much it'll cost.

Westbound traffic on South Academy is detouring at the exit to Highway 85-87, with most traffic turning left toward the city.

The line of headlights stretched for several miles as many drivers took the long route to I-25.

Michelle Frazier, an employee at a nearby convenience store, said that a customer told her that the closure could last five months.

"You can be driving on the bridge, and the whole thing will be swaying on you a little bit," she said. "Not that much, but enough that you can feel it. When you're walking, it's a little terrifying."

As inconvenient as the closure and detour are, Frazier said she hopes they will bring more business to her store.

According to statistics, scouring is one of the three main causes of bridge failure; however, Hartzell said that he wouldn't describe the South Academy bridge situation as "overly serious."

Crews have also diverted the flow of Fountain Creek around the pilings to allow better access.