Frequently Asked Questions

4-2-10 - Who monitors and is responsible for the length of time traffic signals are green on Woodmen or Academy?

The project team works very closely with the Colorado Springs City Traffic Division prior to the implementation of new traffic alignments.  Some traffic alignments were anticipated during the design phase and traffic studies and models were available to analyze and estimate optimum light timing. For other traffic signal adjustments, City Traffic implements and controls the traffic light timing and durations and adjusts accordingly.  After new traffic changes are implemented, City Traffic continues to monitor the timing and adjust accordingly to attempt to maximize the traffic movements through the various intersections.

1/22/10 - The roadway striping is faint and it is hard to distinguish driving lanes, what is the approach for refreshing the paint markings?

Due to the time of year with snow removal, sand on the roadway, and the use of temporary paint, these markings may wear out quickly.  Edward Kraemer and Sons, Inc. will continue to monitor the striping and has a subcontractor who will be scheduled to refresh roadway markings as the air temperatures, weather, and the road conditions allow.  Periodic sweeping of the roadways will also be scheduled to remove dirt and sand from the roadway as well.

1/22/10 - There are potholes in the roadway on Academy Blvd and Woodmen Road within the construction limits, how do these get repaired?

Edward Kraemer and Sons, Inc. continues to monitor and repair potholes as the weather and temperature allow.  During the winter months it is more difficult to get the necessary hot-mix asphalt to make the proper repairs as asphalt plants close due to low demand, but pothole repairs will be scheduled when possible.  Emergency repairs can be made using cold patch asphalt as a temporary repair. 

Are the trees that you need to remove available to citizens?
The City Forester has taken an inventory of trees that need to be removed from the construction areas. These trees have been categorized:

• The City intends to relocate many of the trees to city parks.
• If the trees are too large, they cannot be successfully moved.
• If the trees are too close to utility lines, they cannot be moved.

A limited number of trees are available for relocation by private parties.  The procedure to obtain such trees is to contact Kraemer’s field office at 719-266-6904 and ask to be on the request list.  Citizens requesting trees will need to sign a waiver to enter the project construction site, agree to not interfere with ongoing construction, and be able to safely remove and transport the trees in a timely manner consistent with the project construction schedule.

 

What strategies are in place for keeping the schedule?

Edward Kraemer & Sons has a strong history of completing projects on time. The contract has in place significant financial penalties should the construction end deadline not be met. It is to everyone's benefit to complete the project on or by September 30, 2011 and we anticipate that this will happen.

 

How long will the construction last?

Edward Kraemer and Sons and the City of Colorado Springs are committed to keeping to the schedule and will complete the project in 25 months.

 

What about neighborhood access during construction?

As with the business access, neighborhood access will be maintained throughout the construction project.

 

When will the landscaping be installed?

Generally, landscaping is one of the last stages of construction. This is the type of off-roadway work that will likely occur as construction winds down.

 

Will it be difficult to get to my favorite stores during construction?

There will be access to the businesses throughout the construction period; however, it may not be the existing access that you are used to. Access will be well marked to help you get to your destinations. The city encourages you to continue your patronage of businesses along the corridor during construction and will make access as convenient as possible.

 

What will the corridor look like when it's done?

The web site has a video that shows the entire corridor including what it will look like to drive under the interchange along Academy Boulevard. It is quite realistic and will give you a sense of what the project will look like when it is complete.

 

What about noise?

Roadway construction makes noise, but not all the time and not in the same place for the duration of the project. The project team will work with the neighborhoods to alert them to when they might expect excessive noise. To the degree possible, noise will be managed, but it cannot be eliminated.

 

The local paper said that the plan is to keep two lanes of Woodmen Road and three lanes of Academy Boulevard open in each direction. Is that realistic?

Construction occurs in predetermined steps that will make it realistic to have essentially the same number of lanes open as there are today. The orange cones and construction activity is likely to cause traffic to go slower, but the roadway capacity will be the same. For limited times, during the building of the interchange, turning movements from Academy to Woodmen and from Woodmen to Academy may be closed. The contractor will minimize this inconvenience to the degree possible.

 

What happens if the construction company does not keep to the schedule?

Kraemer and Sons has a strong history of completing projects on or before the projected date of completion. Kraemer has significant financial penalties in place as part of its contract with the City if the construction end deadline is not met.

 

Should I avoid the intersection during construction?

Construction inherently will disrupt traffic; however, the City of Colorado Springs has required the contractor to maintain three lanes in each direction on Academy and two lanes in each direction on Woodmen during peak hours. There will only be a short period when some turning movements will be closed and this will be near the end of construction.The team is working hard to provide the residents, businesses and commuters the most current construction and traffic information. Please make sure to sign up for email blasts to get the quickest project and traffic updates. A traffic camera will be installed at the intersection to show real-time traffic conditions. A link will be available on the website at www.woodmenroad.com.

 

Is Woodmen really going to be raised 20 feet?

No. Academy Blvd. will be lowered approximately 10 feet and Woodmen Road will be raised approximately 10 feet for a total difference of about 20 feet.

 

Why is the City doing this project?

Woodmen Road serves as a regionally significant east-west corridor. A tremendous amount of the growth in the northeast of Colorado Springs and El Paso County over the past few years has created pressures on Woodmen Road and has increased the traffic and number of traffic accidents. Additional roadway capacity is needed in order to accommodate the increased traffic volumes. The Woodmen Corridor Improvements will be constructed in phases based on the need. Phase 1 (Campus to Stinson) has the greatest need along the corridor with 100,000 vehicles a day traveling through the intersection of Woodmen and Academy.

 

What could cause construction to be extended?

There are a number of challenges/critical milestones that will take careful planning to execute. These include a 42 inch water line, 66 inch storm drain pipe, significant utility relocations, and an Academy Blvd. temporary alignment to name a few. Years of planning, investigation and problem solving have gone in to ensuring that these items and this project can be constructed within the construction schedule. However, on every construction project there are a handful of items that can not be anticipated and if encountered could cause schedule delays. These include unforeseen utility conflicts, severe weather, delays in receiving material from suppliers, contaminated soil and/or soils that deviate from the geotechnical report.

 

What is the City going to do about cut-through traffic?

The City has recently completed existing neighborhood traffic counts and will be monitoring traffic in the neighborhoods throughout construction. If traffic increases significantly, the traffic counts will assist in dictating the action that will be required by the City.

 

Two lanes on Woodmen and three lanes on Academy will be open during peak traffic hours. All businesses are open for your patronage.