First new bridges on South Circle Drive in Colorado Springs ready for traffic soon

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The two-year, $40 million project to replace four aging bridges on South Circle Drive will enter its second phase in November when construction of the two eastbound bridges is completed.

Since the project began early last December, two lanes of traffic in each direction have continued to flow on the bridges while construction proceeded: this summer, crews finished placing the girders and will next work on the bridge decks.

Once eastbound traffic shifts from the old bridges to the new, construction of the two westbound bridges will begin.

Workers will demolish the older bridges during the new construction.

"By next fall, we should have all traffic traveling on new structures," said Ryan Phipps, the city's capital improvements manager.

The bridges were built in 1963 and are located between Monterey Road and Janitell Road, just east of Interstate 25; they allow traffic to pass over over Fountain Creek, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF), the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), the FMIC (Irrigation), Las Vegas Street, Hancock Expressway and the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.

Earlier this year, the project drew complaints from drivers and neighbors regarding safety and the constant formation of potholes through the work zone; Phipps said that supervisors have been sensitive to the concerns and have tried their best to respond.

"We keep a close eye on the condition on the roadway," he explained. "Everything within the construction zone is our contractor's responsibility to maintain. And so, they go in and they fill the potholes on a regular basis. Unfortunately, potholes don't always stay filled."

Phipps said that in an effort to avoid slowing traffic down, crews have conducted temporary pothole repairs -- instead of longer-lasting repairs that would take more time to complete -- that allow workers to quickly get in and out of lanes.

The project also has required the temporary closures of Hancock Expressway and Las Vegas Street under the bridges, to prevent injury to people and damage to vehicles during construction; several viewers said that they didn't expect the closures but they will continue during the final two project phases.

Another project impact that surprised drivers is the closing of the Willwood Tunnel during construction; the tunnel is a short road under I-25 between the Broadmoor World Arena and the south end of Janitell Road.

Because only one vehicle can pass through the tunnel in either direction, officials said that there was too much traffic congestion by drivers who used the tunnel as a shortcut around the project.

The tunnel, however, remains open to pedestrians and cyclists.