Overnight closures and lane reductions are scheduled on South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs as part of ongoing construction projects. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced a temporary full closure of northbound South Academy Boulevard between Interstate 25 and Bradley Road from Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., to allow for traffic signal work. Detours will direct drivers onto southbound I-25 toward Mesa Ridge Parkway, then east to the CanAm Highway, northeast onto Main Street, west onto Bradley Road, and finally north back to South Academy Boulevard.
Similarly, a full closure of southbound South Academy Boulevard between Milton Proby Parkway and the CanAm Highway is planned for Friday, Oct. 17, from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., due to lane striping operations. Traffic will be rerouted via Milton Proby Parkway and Hancock Expressway before rejoining South Academy Boulevard through the CanAm Highway.
Additional overnight lane closures in both directions on South Academy Boulevard between Venetucci Boulevard and Milton Proby Parkway are set for Tuesday, Oct. 14 through Thursday, Oct. 16 from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., including intermittent ramp closures at I-25.
Lane reductions on southbound South Academy Boulevard between I-25 and Coventry Drive began Monday, Oct. 6 at 7 a.m., allowing for traffic signal installation and island construction; this alignment remains until Oct. 12.
Ongoing construction has shifted east- and westbound lanes between I-25 and Fountain Creek toward the center of the road so crews can work on outside lanes—a configuration expected to last until November 2025.
The widening project covers about one-and-a-half miles of South Academy Boulevard from the I-25 interchange across US Highway 85/87 up to Milton Proby Parkway (connecting with Powers Boulevard/CO21). The goal is to expand from two lanes in each direction to three in order to address congestion issues that occur regularly along this corridor.
Project improvements include upgraded drainage systems, lighting enhancements, new striping and expanded shoulders as well as modified merge lanes, sound walls, and bridgework. Completion is anticipated by early 2026; El Paso County manages the project.
A CDOT safety assessment was conducted for this corridor “to evaluate the magnitude and nature of safety problems and analyze the causes of crashes.” According to CDOT: “These transportation improvements are mitigation measures to reduce crashes, improve infrastructure, and address physical deficiencies that contribute to crashes in the corridor.” Over twenty years, these upgrades are expected “to result in fewer deaths, injuries and crashes on the four MAMSIP corridors.”
CDOT’s Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP) aims at improving efficiency along I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard and Charter Oak Ranch Road while supporting economic stability around key military installations such as Fort Carson and Peterson Space Force Base. This program received partial funding from an $18 million BUILD grant awarded by the US Department of Transportation; its improvements seek not only safer roads but also greater redundancy for strategic movement among local military bases.
For more information about ongoing projects or detour maps visit codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements or text MAMSIP to register for alerts.
