Traffic impacts increase as water main replacement project continues in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- If you've driven lately through the area where South Circle Drive meets Lake Avenue near the Interstate 25 interchange, you've noticed long traffic backups on eastbound Lake that can stretch for a mile during peak periods.
The reason is that, to meet city traffic requirements, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) recently extended closures from three lanes to one, farther west on eastbound Lake.
"It's just to give more room for motorists to merge before they actually get to the work area," said Cassie Melvin, a CSU spokesperson. "So, it's for motorists' safety, crews' safety."
Crews are replacing a water main that was installed in 1971, and they want to remove the old infrastructure before it leaks, breaks, or causes other problems.
Construction began in April at the Circle/Hancock Expressway interchange, and required temporarily closing the Hancock exit ramp on southbound Circle.
In early June, work continued at the Circle/Janitell Road intersection; for eastbound Circle drivers, it's a tight squeeze between the sidewalk and the barriers separating traffic from the work zone.
The traffic jams occasionally make entering or exiting the Culver's restaurant difficult, and frustration leads some drivers to make illegal U-turns through the median.
"I wasn't aware of that," Melvin said. "But again, this was a city traffic requirement, and we do that for safety precaution purposes. We know it's frustrating, so we just ask that people be patient with us."
Other traffic changes have included prohibiting left turns from eastbound Circle onto Janitell, and closing one of two left turn lanes on the southbound I-25 exit ramp.
CSU expects to finish the project this fall, at a cost of $7.5 million.
The city plans to repave the south end of Circle later this season as part of the 2C expanded paving program.
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