CDOT responds to driver complaints, repairs aggravating bump on southbound Interstate 25 in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A preexisting bump on southbound I-25 near the Bijou Street interchange recently worsened and caused many drivers to worry about damage to their vehicles.
"At least (provide) some warning that a bump is coming up," one driver wrote in an email to KRDO 13's The Road Warrior.
Another driver wrote: "It’s extremely hazardous, especially to motorcyclists, as it’s absolutely massive, comes with no warning, and is often hidden by shadows."
Indeed, the bump stretched almost entirely across the southbound lanes and was practically impossible to avoid.
Those emails arrived on Monday, and The Road Warrior contacted the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) about the matter that afternoon.
"The city (Colorado Springs) notified me this morning, and I've contacted the area (CDOT) supervisor," a spokesperson said.
When The Road Warrior inspected the bump late Wednesday morning, it had been flattened and covered with either asphalt or a black material.
It was in the summer of 2024 that The Road Warrior first reported on driver complaints about two kinds of road bumps: Those like the one mentioned above that form from a pothole or other pavement damage; and those that form where older asphalt pavement meets newer concrete pavement -- often on highway interchange ramps.
Examples of the latter category are at the interchange of I-25 and Cimarron Street (US 24); examples of the former category are on Powers Boulevard (Highway 21) near the Airport Road interchange.
CDOT has patched some of the pothole bumps with asphalt or materials such as Fibercrete or Gap-B to bond better with the pavement, but many drivers believe that approach hasn't worked well.
A CDOT engineer previously said that the best solution is to replace the concrete panels where the pavement is damaged, but doing so is difficult with so much heavy traffic on highways.
As for the bumps where asphalt and concrete pavement meet, CDOT said that the process is fairly involved and expensive; one such repair happened two years ago on the northbound I-25 exit ramp in Fountain.
On Wednesday, CDOT released the following statement:
"Colorado's broad range of temperatures, heavy rainfall (when we get it), snow, etc., are the primary drivers of roadway deterioration, ground heave, potholes, etc. CDOT maintenance patrols must prioritize road maintenance; our first priority is the safety of the traveling public. High-priority, safety-related projects include: guardrail and cable rail replacement/repair, pothole repair, and crisis response (fire, mudslides, rockslides, floods)."
