Various lane closures are scheduled on South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs as part of ongoing construction work for the Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Project. The closures will occur from Sunday, Nov. 23 through Tuesday, Nov. 25 between Venetucci Boulevard and Milton Proby Parkway, with work taking place from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, Nov. 26 from 7 a.m. to noon. The lane closures will allow crews to install signage and complete remaining roadway, traffic signal, and utility work. Two lanes of traffic will remain open in both directions during these periods.
Mobile lane closures are also planned for north- and southbound South Academy Boulevard between Venetucci Boulevard and Milton Proby Parkway starting Monday, Nov. 24 at 10 p.m., continuing through Tuesday, Nov. 25 at midnight.
Project operations will pause at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 26 and resume on Monday, Dec. 1 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The South Academy Boulevard Widening Project focuses on expanding approximately 1.5 miles of the road from two lanes to three lanes in each direction to address recurring congestion issues in the area near the I-25 interchange through to Milton E. Proby Parkway. Additional improvements include upgraded drainage systems, lighting enhancements, new striping, wider shoulders, modified merge lanes, sound walls, and bridgework.
El Paso County is managing this project with an expected completion date in early 2026.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), a safety assessment was conducted along the corridor to evaluate crash causes and determine appropriate mitigation measures. “These transportation improvements are mitigation measures to reduce crashes, improve infrastructure, and address physical deficiencies that contribute to crashes in the corridor,” CDOT stated. Over a projected twenty-year period after completion across four corridors included in the program, fewer deaths and injuries are anticipated as a result of these upgrades.
The broader Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP) is partially funded by an $18 million BUILD grant from the US Department of Transportation (https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants). The initiative aims to improve mobility along I-25, Colorado Highway 94, South Academy Boulevard, and Charter Oak Ranch Road—routes that connect several military installations including Fort Carson and Peterson Space Force Base—and support economic development by strengthening strategic transportation links.
For more information about this project or to sign up for alerts via text message or email updates visit https://www.codot.gov/projects/militaryaccesssafetyimprovements.
