Project Overview
East-west mobility has been an issue in the Pikes Peak Region for many years. Austin Bluffs Parkway is a major arterial roadway and a critical component in cross-town mobility. Several studies, plans and initiatives have defined and verified the need to improve the road. They include the following:
- The City's Intermodal Transportation Plan (ITP)
- The East-West Mobility Study (completed in 2002)
- Conceptual studies of the corridor (completed in 2003)
- The PPRTA ballot initiative, which included several projects along this corridor
Traffic studies concluded that if no improvements are made, congestion will increase and travel times will double. Specific improvements are needed to reduce congestion and travel times; a phased approach in the project will not only accommodate fluctuations in funding, but will keep traffic moving during the transition. To date, two phases have been completed:
- Phase 1 (completed January 2007): New through-lanes and turn lanes at the intersection of Austin Bluffs Parkway and Nevada Avenue
- Phase 2 (completed November 2008): Construction of a grade-separated interchange at the intersection of Austin Bluffs Parkway and Union Boulevard
This project begins the process of Phase 3. The third phase of the corridor improvements targets the segments from Nevada Avenue to Union Boulevard, from Union Boulevard to Meadowland Boulevard, and from Barnes Road to Old Farm Drive.
