Future changes along Highway 83 in El Paso County expected as part of access control plan
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Some roads and driveways connecting to a ten-mile stretch of Highway 83 between Powers Boulevard and County Line Road near Monument, could be eventually closed as part of a long-range plan to improve safety along the corridor.
The plan was recently presented to the El Paso County Planning Commission, ending a three-year study that involved research and discussions with local leaders.
According to CDOT, the targeted stretch of Highway 83 connects to 50 private driveways and 22 roads, for a total of 72 access points.
CDOT said that under the plan, some of those access points could be closed or consolidated into fewer points.
The major safety concern, CDOT said, is speeding; one solution to the problem is building a roundabout at the Highway 83/County Line Road intersection where traffic signal currently exist.
The roundabout could look like the image below: it's one of four built in Breckenridge as part of the reconfiguration of Highway 9.
"If you look at our partners in Missouri and Kansas, they have a tremendous amount of roundabouts deployed on similar, and even faster, highways," said CDOT traffic engineer Jason Nelson, who presented the plan to planning commissioners. "And they're pretty successful in what they accomplish."
Crashes are another concern, because of speeding and the effect of traffic entering and exiting the highway from various access points.
"We have a lot of two-way stops," Nelson explained. "Do those become roundabouts or signalized intersections in the future? And we looked at where do we add turn lanes, where they’re ended. So, it’s a pretty comprehensive look at the corridor and what it needs."
Specifics of the plan have yet to be finalized and depend on available funding, but CDOT said that the plan will guide future changes along the highway.
Several homeowners along the highway told KRDO that they're open to closing their driveways or finding detours as long as the corridor becomes safer.
"It seems like weekly, we're seeing car accidents," said Ashley Treasure-Duncan. "Just last week, there was a rollover crash right here in front of our house. I also have teens who drive to school. So, I think safety is a huge concern and anything that they could do to improve it would be helpful to everyone."
Jasan Thomason agrees.
"If it's not at my cost, because I have a driveway entrance that works very well," he said. "We're cautious any time that we leave it on the highway. But if a different access point has to be created in order to get to my property, then that's what it's got to be."
The Planning Commission will vote on the plan next month.
