Drivers, businesses cope with impacts of median project on Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs
Scott Harrison
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Work to modify center medians and reduce left turns enters its second month on Garden of the Gods Road between Interstate 25 and Chestnut Street.
City officials hope to reduce crashes and injuries from drivers who try to cross six lanes of traffic while making left turns across the busy corridor.
However, the project has been a significant adjustment for westbound drivers, who are unable to turn left through the construction zone, and for popular businesses on the south side of the road, which report seeing fewer customers.
“It’s kinda slowing everything down,” said Samuel Welch, manager at the Super Star Car Wash, which opened only a few months ago. “Our business is down 40%. (The city said) Three weeks, and it’s been five. So, we’re hoping just one more week, at least.”
During construction, left turns are allowed only on westbound Garden of the Gods at the Chestnut Street intersection, and one of the two turn lanes is closed.
That leads drivers to cut through parking lots to turn around and reach In-N-Out, Village Inn, The Juicy Seafood, and other restaurants on the south side of Garden of the Gods.
Shane Beauseau works along the road and said that traffic congestion caused by construction adds 20 minutes to his drive home.
“I understand the need for safety, but I’m not sure this project is the best way to provide it,” he said. “I think people in this town notoriously take bigger risks than they should, just trying to get where they’re going a little bit quicker, instead of going to a safer place to make the turn they need to turn.”
When finished, the medians will be longer to make left turns safer, and left turns will not be allowed when leaving businesses along the road.
Meanwhile, another traffic safety project scheduled to start this week is being delayed while the city awaits approval of a state permit.
That work will upgrade traffic signals on Garden of the Gods Road, east of I-25, at the North Park Drive and Mark Dabling Boulevard intersections.
Both projects will cost a total of $2 million and are scheduled for completion by the end of the year.