City officials, neighbors respond to latest delay on Galley Road project in east Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Work to replace an aging bridge along a popular route between Academy and Powers boulevards was supposed to start nearly two years ago, and now won't be finished until next spring.

"We're hoping for April," said Richard Mulledy, the city's public works diretor.

City officials recently announced the latest delay for the $8 million project on Galley Road, on the east side of town.

Although only a three-block area is closed between East San Miguel Street and Moffat Circle, the actual traffic impacts stretch for a half-mile between Murray Boulevard and Wooten Road.

Mulledy explained that the reasons for several delays and restarts are the amount of work required in a concentrated area, and circumstances beyond the control of crews.

The project's initial start in January 2024 was delayed until the spring, when officials reported that certain construction materials had arrived late.

Progress slowed again later that year when crews encountered difficulty relocating telecommunications cables and discovered unexpected utility lines.

A wet spring this year caused further delays.

"You can have a flash flood, and a lot of flow in these channels," Mulledy said. "We had that happen several times. And you can just imagine you're at the bottom of a channel and you see a bunch of water. And now, it's a muddy mess, and equipment can't get down in there. Just makes it very difficult."

Crews finally demolished the old bridge this summer, and the new bridge is taking shape.

While many drivers and neighbors are frustrated by the delays, others understand that crews are doing the best they can.

"We've had enough time to kind of adjust -- although our neighbors who walk around, they're like How many years?" said Lorene Blake, who lives at the north end of the project. "Some people do get really impatient with it."

Among them is Edgar Szep, who lives near the project's south end.

"I use Galley to travel a lot of my way, because I don't like taking Powers, Academy, and those other roads to get around," he said. "I do use Galley quite often. So, yes -- it is very frustrating."

Since the project began, drivers have also endured a water valve replacement project to the west and the repaving of Wooten Road to the east.

The affected stretch of Galley will itself require repaving after the bridge work is finished.