CDOT emphasizes safe driving on Interstate 25 between Colorado Springs and Fountain this winter as construction continues
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The narrower corridors on I-25 between South Academy Boulevard and the main Fountain exit because of a concrete project has some drivers wondering if there's enough room to deposit plowed snow, or for traffic to pull over in bad weather.
"When it comes time for winter, I think it would be great if (traffic) could (be reduced to) one lane," said Jeff Borst, a local driver. "I get kind of nervous, especially around the big trucks. So it seems to me that one lane would go a lot faster and a lot smoother."
Another driver, Jim Thompson, said that he's more concerned about congestion.
"A couple of weeks ago, I ran into where there was an accident on the right lane, and it took almost 45 minutes to get through that," he said. "So it is definitely a tight, congested area."
The Colorado Department of Transportation said Wednesday that snow removal is always a priority on the busy freeway.
"We will plow the work zone on I-25 with the same process we always have," said CDOT spokeswoman Michelle Peulen. "Lanes are narrow, and during the winter season it will be critical for motorists to drive the (55 mph) speed limit, or slower as conditions warrant."
CDOT crews often pre-treat pavement with salt brine, which is designed to prevent ice and snow from bonding to the surface, making it easier to plow.
The agency also has created four temporary pull-over areas that drivers can use in an emergency.
Late last year, CDOT started the project to replace deteriorating asphalt pavement with concrete on the 7.5-mile stretch of highway; the project is part of a $161 million effort -- funded by local, state and federal dollars -- to improve traffic accessibility and safety around the area's military installations.
The concrete addition started on the southbound side and is nearly 50% finished; that phase required the construction of a temporary road in the center median as a detour for southbound traffic, and the highway there is narrower and lined with concrete barriers.
CDOT hopes to finish the southbound phase late this year or early next year, then shift to the northbound side next year; the entire project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024 and will include widening road shoulders, replacing two bridges at the South Academy interchange and upgrading four existing bridges.
"The road we inherited was pretty bad and the northbound traffic is currently on the worst part of it," said Randy Johnson, CDOT project manager.
A nearby facet of the overall safety and accessibility effort is a new roundabout at the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and Charter Oak Ranch Road, to improve traffic flow in and out of Fort Carson's Gate 19.
That project should be finished by the end of the year.
