Austin Bluffs project expands to four lanes

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Sep 23, 1997 by Rich Laden

Completion of the Austin Bluffs Parkway extension on Colorado Springs' northeast side, already behind schedule, has been pushed back to nearly year's end.

But the latest delay might work to the advantage of motorists. When the project is done in late November or early December, the new 1.5-mile stretch of Austin Bluffs Parkway from Rangewood Drive to Woodmen Road will be four lanes instead of the two that were originally planned.

Austin Bluffs is on the east side of the Nor'wood subdivision, where 300 to 400 homes a year are being built. The original two-lane extension was delayed this summer by utility work and rainy weather.

The area's rapid development, combined with growth of surrounding neighborhoods, prompted a developer to push for a four-lane road to accommodate increased traffic.

That will delay the opening a while longer. But it "will alleviate a lot of traffic on Rangewood," Nor'wood Development Corp. president Kent Petrie said of the expanded roadway. Rangewood Drive carries about 34,000 vehicles a day, about twice the number it was designed to handle.

Likewise, going back at a later date to widen Austin Bluffs Parkway to four lanes would have been a hassle for motorists.

"This way, we'll get the full road width and won't have to mess around with widening it in the future," said Tim Mitros, a Colorado Springs senior city engineer. "We'll save a lot of headaches."

The project's cost, originally about $1.4 million, now is more than $2 million. The city is paying roughly $500,000, and Nor'wood Development will pay the rest.

However, the company will seek cash back from the city for some of its work under a program that allows developers to be reimbursed for roads they build that are considered a community benefit.

Meanwhile, the extension of Austin Bluffs north of Woodmen Road and over Cottonwood Creek likely won't be completed until early next year, Mitros said.

The project needs approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before work can begin, he said.

Eventually, that stretch of Austin Bluffs Parkway will connect to Meadow Ridge Drive.

Nor'wood Development also wants to extend Dublin Boulevard east from Rangewood Drive to Oakwood Boulevard, which itself is being extended to connect with Dublin.

The cost of that work isn't yet known, and city officials still must sign off on the project, Mitros said.