Colorado Highway 115 is undergoing a major transformation which will impact its traffic patterns for a long time. The Colorado Department of Transportation began its improvement project last week. Currently, only traffic on CO 115 between Rock Creek Canyon Road and Roca Roja Circle is affected. However, construction will eventually extend all the way down to Barrett Road.
Initial construction has closed the shoulder between Rock Creek Canyon Road and Roca Roja Circle. These roads also indicate mile points 35.5 and 39, respectively. This stretch is the north end of the construction project, which will later extend southward.
At some point in early August, traffic on CO 115 will undergo a major change. This section of the highway presently includes intermittent passing lanes. However, crews will reduce that traffic to just one lane in each direction starting later this week. Drivers will also encounter intermittent flagging on this stretch of road.
The whole improvement project is expected to take 18 months to complete. All in all, the project will cost $40 million.
What work are the crews doing?
The CO 115 improvement project includes a variety of maintenance projects as well as new construction. One of the major purposes of the project is to fix up the highway’s old, cracked pavement. This will improve drivability, reducing the wear and tear on all vehicles that use CO 115. Crews will also construct new passing and right-turn lanes, which should help alleviate traffic concerns and reduce traffic on the route. Finally, the project will rebuild the Rock Creek Bridge in its entirety.
CO 115 is an important highway for the region for a variety of reasons. It provides Coloradans living in Penrose and its surrounding cities with a quick and convenient way to access Colorado Springs. It also eases traffic on I-25 and in Pueblo West. All of this is very important for military activity in the area, which needs quality roads to operate smoothly. These improvements are necessary to help keep our armed forces running as well as they can.
