Heads up for those traveling in the South Academy Boulevard area this week as the Military Access, Mobility & Safety Improvement Program (MAMSIP) has issued updates that will affect your route. Starting Monday, January 6, prepare to encounter closed ramps and shifted lanes as crews press forward with construction improvements, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Specifically, if you're aiming to head northbound on South Academy Boulevard via Hartford Street, you'll find your way impeded through Wednesday. From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during these days, the on-ramp will be out of commission as workers install a new sound wall, an essential component for limiting roadway noise. While the ramp is closed at Hartford Street, the detour isn't too complex. Intending to Northbound South Academy Boulevard traffic will be diverted to Welton Drive, to Maxwell Street, and then onto East Las Vegas Street (CanAm Highway), which will get you where you need to go, but be sure to factor in some extra time for these detours.
There's also a detour in effect if you're coming off southbound South Academy Boulevard with your sights set on Coventry Drive. Stick east to Venetucci Boulevard, then take B Street to East Las Vegas Street, followed by a southbound jaunt on Maxwell Street, which will guide you to Coventry Drive at last.
But it's not just ramps that are giving way to progress. Lanes on South Academy Boulevard itself between I-25 and Fountain Creek are being herded towards the center to enable outside lane work, drainage installation, and noise barrier construction. Drivers should expect this middle-road dance to last until about spring 2025, so adjust your expectations and your commutes accordingly. "Motorists are advised to use caution at all entrance ramps as merge lengths have been shortened," as noted by the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Further impacting the flow of traffic is the continuing realignment of the northbound I-25 off-ramp to Northbound South Academy Boulevard, now featuring a shorter acceleration lane designed to keep you on your toes or rather, hovering over your brake pedal. This same need for alertness applies to the US 85/87 on-ramp to eastbound South Academy and the Bradley Road on-ramp, both of which offer a substantially truncated merge area.
With changes underway beneath as well as above, all lanes of Bradley Road under South Academy Boulevard are arranged smack in the center to allow the emergence of new bridge piers. Motorists are urged to be vigilant while traversing these shapeshifting roadways to ensure safety for themselves and the working crews.
