Construction at Schriever SFB to cause significant traffic impacts through spring, summer

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — A project at the north gate of Schriever Space Force Base begins on Monday and will result in what the installation describes as longer commute times and heavier traffic congestion.

KRDO 13's The Road Warrior began looking into the matter after hearing from several viewers who asked about the changes.

According to base leadership, construction at the north gate along Enoch Road, south of Highway 94, and near the Visitors Center, will require shifting most inbound traffic to the west gate, east of the Curtis Road/Irwin Drive intersection.

Between peak arrival hours of 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., all three lanes to and from the west gate will be inbound only; after that time, the traffic configuration will return to two inbound lanes and one outbound lane.

A temporary traffic signal is operating at the Curtis/Irwin intersection to help guide traffic.

Schriever officials hope this change will help ease traffic congestion caused by restrictions at the north gate.

During construction, the north gate access will be one lane inbound and one lane outbound, weekdays from 4:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the gate will be closed at all other times as crews build a temporary road around the work zone.

Base leadership said that part of the construction involves building a turnaround lane, allowing personnel who forget their IDs to easily turn around and retrieve them.

Generally, though, officials explained that the construction will increase base security.

Traffic into the west gate appeared to be its heaviest around 6:30 a.m.

The Road Warrior had hoped to interview Schriever officials on Friday, but the interview was canceled because of snowy conditions that led to an early release at the base; officials said that they'd be busy on Monday for the first day of the traffic changes.