Woodmen Road Corridor Improvement project brings jobs, safety, congestion relief to Colorado Springs

At DOT, we know that investing in our roads, rails and runways creates jobs today and ensures that our economy has the ability to keep growing in the future. And the Woodmen Road Corridor Improvement Project in Colorado Springs is a great example of a job-creating project that will also foster economic opportunity.

On Friday, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez joined state and local officials in Colorado Springs to open the first phase of this project.

Opening ceremonies included a parade of vintage cars, photo courtesy Colorado Springs Gazette

This first phase of the Woodmen Road project received $35 million in Recovery Act funding, making it the largest single Recovery Act highway project in Colorado.

Decades of planning and two years of construction went into this phase of the project.  But in the end, it was completed on budget and 34 days early.  That’s what I call a job well done!

Woodmen Road project during construction, photo courtesy FOX21

The project includes a new interchange at Woodmen Road and Academy Boulevard, two of Colorado Springs’ busiest streets, which serve an estimated 126,900 daily drivers combined. Woodmen Road between I-25 and Bell Drive was also widened from four to six lanes for 1.5 miles, which will help improve traffic flow and reduce delays.

In addition, new east-west bike lanes and sidewalks will give Colorado Springs’ residents even more transportation options.

Traffic flows through the redesigned interchange, photo courtesy Colorado Springs Gazette

The Woodmen Road project created jobs in the short-term and is now ready to serve the community for years to come.

As Administrator Mendez said, “By putting people back to work and improving a key roadway in one of Colorado’s most important communities, we are making a long-term investment not only in the safety of drivers in Colorado Springs but also in the state economy as a whole.”

 

Thanks to the completion of this project, people will enjoy an easier, faster trip.

Businesses will be able to operate more effectively and people will spend less time stuck in traffic and more time with family and friends.

The mountain air will be cleaner, thanks to improved traffic flow and more people taking advantage of the new bike lanes and sidewalks.

And most importantly, by reducing congestion we make roads safer for all who travel on them – DOT’s number one priority.

It’s always a pleasure to see a community using infrastructure to solve problems and improve people’s lives--whether it’s creating construction jobs, enhancing safety, reducing congestion or making the community more livable.  The Woodmen Road project is a perfect example of this, and I am confident it will benefit the residents of Colorado Springs for years to come.