Project on Woodmen Road in Colorado Springs to improve traffic onto Interstate 25, prepare for repaving
Scott Harrison
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Drivers may have noticed recent construction on a two-block segment of Woodmen Road between I-25, east to Campus Drive; it’s a project that started last week, continues through the end of next month, and has two objectives.
The first goal is reducing traffic in the two westbound turn lanes on Woodmen, onto the I-25 entrance ramp; congestion during peak periods often causes backups that blocks traffic in the left through lane on Woodmen.
Crews will resolve that issue by extending those turn lanes east to the Campus intersection; demolishing rebuilding and shifting the concrete center median; and closing one of two left turn lanes on eastbound Woodmen to northbound Campus.
Traffic studies have shown that only a single left turn lane is needed there.
During the project, the left turn lane on northbound Campus to westbound Woodmen is closed, although traffic continues to turn left from the single northbound through lane; it’s unclear whether traffic should be doing that.
Workers also will install new street signs and apply new lane markings; one lane of Woodmen in each direction in that area will be closed during construction but two through lanes each way will remain open; officials said that the project won’t affect access to the freeway in either direction.
The second reason for the project is to prepare that part of Woodmen for repaving this summer, under the 2C expanded repaving program; the city will resurface approximately two miles of the west end of Woodmen from just east of the Academy Boulevard interchange, to Woodmen Court.
As KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior reported last September, the pavement there has significantly deteriorated in the past few years because a previous repaving that added rubber from old tires into the asphalt, proved to be less durable than expected.
The technique has been widely used in California and Texas with the belief that the asphalt/rubber mixture would also provide smoother driving; however, it’s possible that the mixture couldn’t endure the high altitude, freeze-thaw cycles and abrupt temperature changes locally.
Many drivers have complained about the rough condition of Woodmen in that area, calling it one of the bumpiest streets in the city.