Centennial Boulevard Extension

Phase 1: construction of missing section of Centennial Blvd north of Van Buren Street, completed summer 2018

Phase 2: construction of the new Centennial Blvd Extension south of Van Buren Street

• VCUP (Property owners voluntary cleanup) completed Summer 2021
• Contractor selection: June 2021
• Road construction start: September 2021
• Road from Centennial Blvd to Chestnut Street completed: Fall 2022

Phase 3: Improvements under I-25 tentative completion: Fall 2023 (resource and weather dependent)

What is the need for the project?

The project will provide improved mobility and connectivity to the west side of Colorado Springs and alleviate traffic congestion along Chestnut and Fillmore streets. The Centennial Boulevard extension has been in the City’s plans for 30 years. The project was on the PPRTA “C” list but other priorities took precedence. It is now on the PPRTA extension “A” list of projects approved by more than 80 percent of the voters. The PPRTA Board is comprised of elected officials from each of the jurisdictions involved and there is a Citizen’s Advisory Committee, all who ensure PPRTA follows through with the items promised in the ballot initiative.

When will the new road be open to traffic from Fillmore to I-25?

We will know a lot more once we receive the phasing/construction schedule from the contractor. We are anticipating that the road will be open by the Fall/Winter 2022 timeframe.

Will this project start at Van Buren Street and head south towards I-25, or will there be ongoing construction in all areas at the same time?

At this time, the selected contractor is recommending starting the improvements along Centennial between Fillmore and Van Buren. Subsequently, work will commence at Van Buren Street working south toward Chestnut Street. This will first be coordinated with and approved by the City. Utility relocation activities often drive the construction-phasing plan. The final phase of work will include Chestnut Street to I-25 / Recreation Way as well as final signage and landscaping.

However, the entire stretch of the new Centennial Boulevard extension will be an active construction zone throughout the duration of the project.

What are the construction hours?

The project will require two construction seasons (approximately 18 to 24 months total).  Generally, construction work will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Any allowances for weekend or night work will require advance approval from the City.

Will the local residents be notified when construction will be directly affecting their home?

Yes, there will be a requirement for the contractor to notify homeowners 48 hours ahead of planned construction that will affect access, parking, or existing features on their property.

How much do you expect this project to cost?

The project cost has been established at just under $20 million including design and construction. The cost also includes property acquisition as well as both permanent and temporary construction easements for approximately 40 properties. This is a minor arterial and requires large volumes of dirt to be moved. There’s a lot of export material, utility work, stormwater work, paving, and landscaping in the median involved which impacts the cost.

How is this project funded?

The project is funded through the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority as an “A” list project approved by the voters.

How close to homes will the road alignment be? 

This varies along the corridor, but the alignment has been designed to limit impacts to both Mesa Creek and the adjacent neighborhood.

How long is the corridor extension?

The extension of Centennial Boulevard is just over half a mile (3,000 feet) from just south of Van Buren Street to Fontanero Street.

Will the contractor be removing any of the mountain (hills) on Fillmore Street?

This project will not make any changes to Fillmore Street. Project specific site grading is underway now between Van Buren and Chestnut streets.

Will the pavement of the road utilize rubberized asphalt?

No. The geotechnical analysis during design determined the pavement section for this project should be a composite section of asphalt over aggregate base.

Will dust and noise during construction be mitigated?

The contractor will be responsible for controlling dust and noise during construction of the road project, as required by their permit.

There are several private property developments underway along the corridor not part of this Centennial Boulevard extension construction project. They have to follow their individual permit processes and City codes.

Is there a contact of whom to call? Should there be dust, noise, or other issues during construction?

A project email address and hotline phone number for the construction project. Have been set up and publicized in the project E newsletters period. To sign up to receive project updates, send an email to CentennialExt@gmail.com requesting to be added to the distribution list.

Were noise impacts from the new roadway evaluated?

Yes, noise impacts were evaluated and considered as part of the project. Noise levels will vary from property to property. The project looked at potential impacts at various locations throughout the corridor.

To reduce visual and noise impacts, the road is being designed to sit well below existing ground in neighborhoods in most locations.

Noise levels are lower when a road is designed for reduced vehicle speeds. The posted speed limit for the completed Centennial Blvd extension will be 35 mph which is lower than the City standard for this minor arterial classification of roadway. In addition, the project is being designed with curvature that will result in lower travel speeds. Introducing roadway curves and a raised median will provide a more narrowed field that will promote lower vehicle speeds. As opposed to a straighter and wider road.

The design team also considered additional mitigation options for landscaping and privacy fencing. Several property owners have indicated a preference for trees to absorb potential noise instead of walls.

Will electrical lines be buried as part of this project?

A large transmission line was undergrounded prior to construction of this project. That undergrounding is complete. Overhead structures for this transmission line are permanent. There are smaller overhead distribution lines that are not planned to be undergrounded as part of this project.; however, some of the poles will be relocated.

Will there be traffic impacts due to construction in this project area?

There will be strategic closures. Once the contractor has submitted its work plan, we will have a better understanding of what closures and changes in access will be needed during construction. The roadway under two Interstate-25 bridges will have traffic signals at both ramps and will result. And some strategic closures in that area.

Were environmental studies conducted during the design phase of the project?

Although this project does not meet the requirement for conducting a comprehensive environmental assessment through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a Biological Resources Report, Cultural Resources Report, and an Environmental Initial Site Assessment were all prepared for this project. These reviews included threatened and endangered species, wetland habitat, historical structures, and hazardous materials.

The project is avoiding impacts to the Mesa Creek and the floodplain. A slight encroachment of the northeast corner of Sondermann Park and construction of a full spectrum detention pond was presented to the City Parks Board as an improvement for protection of Mesa Creek.

Was the unofficial dump site examined by the City’s archaeologist prior to mitigation?

The unofficial dump site is on private property so it is the property owner’s responsibility to take care of the clean-up prior to any development and before the road extension construction could start. The property owner has been undergoing its’ Voluntary Clean-Up Process (V-CUP)

How will this project impact the drainage way? 

The alignment has been designed to avoid impacts to Mesa Creek and the floodplain.  Full spectrum detention and a water quality pond will be utilized to further mitigate impacts of stormwater runoff.

How will storm water and contaminates be captured? Will the creek be impacted?

We’ve designed the alignment such that the road will totally avoid the creek. The typical section for the roadway will utilize curb and gutter to collect storm water into a closed storm system which outlets into a full spectrum detention pond installed as part of the project to protect the creek and avoid future erosion. Full spectrum ponds will hold water for 72 hours for particulates to settle and then released at near-existing flow rates.

The detention pond located at Sondermann Park seems large. Did you look at other LID (low impact development) options?

The pond is sized for the new roadway, existing flows, volume storage for 100-year storm.

The project includes a sand filter north of Van Buren Street, plus we will be adding another sand filter at the intersection with Chestnut Street and Centennial Boulevard to collect some of the smaller run-off.  The pond in Sondermann Park is designed for full spectrum retention. It will take the remaining storm sewers to that location and it is going to treat for water quality and 100-year storms. It’s going to detain that flow, allow for sediment to deposit into the pond and release back into Mesa Creek at historic rates.

Where are the 100-year and 500-year flood plain boundaries of Mesa Creek within the project area?

The yellow layer on the project map posted to the project website shows the boundaries.

Are the soils stable enough for the new roadway?

As part of the project design, geotechnical engineers performed investigations to evaluate subsurface conditions and necessary mitigation measures to ensure the stability of the roadway and adjacent slopes. While landslides have occurred in the general area, the specific location where the roadway is planned does not have significant risks associated with the soil conditions.

Will wildlife be impacted by the project?

The project team performed a survey of biological resources along the corridor to confirm no adverse impacts to threatened or endangered species for this project. The tendency of wildlife is to follow the creek and the project will avoid impacts to the creek and floodplain. The planned landscaping plant types along the roadway will be deer resistant to discourage their grazing close to the roadway. In addition, the project is analyzing optimal locations for wildlife crossing signs to help alert drivers of possible wildlife in the area.

Will the roadside landscaping be with native plants?

The roadside plant species near Mesa Creek have been chosen to closely fit the native vegetation within the park and open space.

Where will the access into Sondermann Park and across Centennial Boulevard be located?

A concrete sidewalk and bike lanes will run along both sides of the Centennial Boulevard Extension. The west sidewalk will be a 10-foot, multi-use path to better accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists who choose not to use the on-street bike lane. This will connect the Mesa Springs Greenway to Sondermann Park and Broadview Open Space, while allowing for future connections at Fillmore Street. The project will reroute the existing Park maintenance access road at the west end of Fontanero Street to Espanola Street.

Most of the property west of the new road is not public open space but private property owned by developers with future plans for the land. Public access won’t be provided to areas that are privately owned.

A signalized pedestrian crossing will be constructed at Chestnut Street and Centennial Boulevard as well as an un-signalized crossing at Van Buren Street. This intersection will likely be signalized in the future with adjacent development.

Current and projected pedestrian traffic counts into the Park from the neighborhood are not available. However, the project team has been soliciting input from the public on various pedestrian crossing options and levels of usage. As recommended by the public, the project team evaluated a mid-block pedestrian crossing and is including a signalized mid-block pedestrian crossing with the project. This will provide better pedestrian access from the Mesa Springs neighborhood to Sondermann Park and Broadview Open Space.

What is the connection to the Greenway Trail?

The Greenway Trail will connect into the new 10-foot sidewalks along each side of the new Centennial Boulevard extension, east of Chestnut Street.

Will the open space remain as part of this project?

The Mesa Valley Open Space is west of this project and will not be impacted. The Broadview Open Space runs along the creek and this project has been designed to not affect this area. There are privately owned parcels adjacent to existing Centennial Boulevard north of Van Buren and those properties are subject to future development by those private property owners.

What will the crossing for the Mesa Spring Trail be like, crossing Old Fontanero and New Centennial?

The project includes a signalized, much safer crossing in that area.

Will access to the existing social trails be maintained?

Historically, there were a lot of unofficial and non-maintained 4-wheel trails and social trails to access Mesa Valley Trail and Sondermann Park. The project includes installing a pedestrian activated signal mid-way between Van Buren and Chestnut streets. It will provide the neighbors from Mesa Springs access to open space and into Sondermann Park.

What are the planned connections to Centennial Boulevard?

The only Mesa Springs neighborhood streets that will connect into Centennial Boulevard will be Chestnut Street, Van Buren Street, and Mesa Valley Road. To avoid cut-through traffic into the neighborhood while construction is underway, the Van Buren and Mesa Valley connections will not be opened up until the extension of Centennial Boulevard has been completed.

Regarding path connections, adjacent property owners have expressed concern that paths off Washington and Madison streets will just serve to attract homeless and transient populations into the neighborhood. They have expressed they would rather not have paths at Madison and Washington streets, and there are no planned paths at these locations with this project.

Have you considered a roundabout at the Chestnut / Fontanero streets intersection?

Yes, a roundabout was considered. It would need to be a two-lane roundabout to accommodate the volume of traffic, and the City does not believe a two-lane roundabout is the best solution at this location.

What is the grade from Centennial Boulevard down to Fontanero Street?

The grade varies but the newly constructed roadway segments will not exceed a 6 percent grade.  Centennial Boulevard will not be a designated truck route.

Will the I-25 / Fontanero Interchange be renamed?

Yes, the City has proposed to the Colorado Department of Transportation that the interchange be renamed as the I-25 / Centennial Boulevard Interchange.

Where will the entrances to the Pikes Peak Church parking lot be placed?

This project will construct an entrance on northbound Centennial Boulevard, approximately 300-ft south of Van Buren Street.

What happens to the alley behind 1901 Chestnut (north east of Chestnut)? Will it still connect to Centennial Boulevard? Will it become a one-way?

The alley will still have two-way access to Centennial Boulevard. There will be a number of lanes to cross in order to head east.

Will there be a new bus route through this area? 

There will be multiple new bus stops as part of this project.

Where will traffic signals be installed?

The traffic signals warranted for this project are at Chestnut Street and at the Interstate-25 ramp intersections with Fontanero Street. There is potential in the future for additional intersections to become signalized depending on development of the area, but not with this project as traffic projections do not warrant it at this time. Both eastbound and westbound Centennial will have dedicated turn lanes for the I-25 ramps.

What will the speed limit be on Centennial Boulevard?

35 miles-per-hour.

Can speed bumps or speed indicators be added to the new Centennial Boulevard extension and to Chestnut Street to as a deterrent to speeding?

Speed bumps are not something the City would use on a minor arterial/collector type street. To control speeds, the road will be posted on Centennial Boulevard at 35 mph.  Roadway curves and a raised median will provide a more narrowed feel that will also promote lower vehicle speeds (as opposed to a straighter and wider road). There will also be animal crossing signs to warn people to slow down. We anticipate there will be less traffic on Chestnut Street once the new Centennial Boulevard extension is open. While there are no plans to adjust the speeds on Chestnut Street at this time, a full traffic operation assessment will be done once the new Centennial Boulevard extension is open and fully functioning to see what changes may need to be made in the area.

What are the anticipated traffic counts on Centennial Boulevard once completed?

The projected traffic counts on Centennial Boulevard when the new extension opens is approximately 15,000 – 17,000 vehicles per day, indicating a need for the connection. This is equivalent to traffic through the Old North End neighborhood on Nevada Avenue.

The City Traffic Criteria Manual describes the various functional roadway classifications and design standards for each type of road. The Centennial Blvd. extension is classified as a minor arterial.  A minor arterial is described as a four-lane street intended to permit “rapid and relatively unimpeded traffic movement throughout the City and carry high volumes of inter and intra-traffic which connect major land use elements.”  Section 15.4, Figure 12, and Section 16.0 of the City Traffic Criteria Manual can be referenced for additional information on the minor arterial roadway classification.

Recent Fillmore traffic counts

May 2012: 

Counts Eastbound 11,522

Counts Westbound -- 11,062

Total 22,584

Recent Chestnut Street traffic counts

Oct. 2011:

Counts Northbound -- 2,057

Counts Southbound -- 3,004

Total: 5,061

How are traffic counts conducted?

Traffic counts are taken over a two- to three-day period, and sometimes also include turning movements during a.m. and p.m. peak times. Counts for this project were taken pre-COVID when school was in session to capture the busiest timeframe.

Is this extension expected to relieve traffic along other corridors?

We anticipate the new Centennial Boulevard extension will help other corridors. When the road opens on the first day we expect 15,000 - 17,000 vehicles initially using the road. This will take pressure off of Chestnut and Fillmore streets, and the Interstate-25 interchange. It may also help with Garden of the Gods Road. The City will not know the biggest benefit until the Centennial extension opens and people start using it and we can assess the new traffic patterns.

How will the project design promote safety?

The new Centennial Boulevard extension roadway design concept will promote increased safety through several features. The frequency and location of access points (driveways or intersections) will be limited to reduce potential conflict points. The project is designating a slightly lower design speed than the City Standard for this classification of roadway. Introducing roadway curves and a raised median will provide a more narrowed feel that will promote lower vehicle speeds (as opposed to a straighter and wider road). 

Will the project impact crime in the area?

The City has been working with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). What they’ve told us:

—Legal panhandling is occurring in this area; however, very few illegal homeless encampments have been found in this area.

—CSPD does not believe the crime rate will be affected by the addition of the road. Although access to the neighborhoods is increased, this does not typically lead to an increase in crime.

—Effective lighting is one of the most important deterrents to criminal behavior and will certainly decrease crime occurrence.

Will this help with additional fire evacuation routes?

Additional roadway connections do help, but this is not the primary reason for the project.

What snowplow priority will the new roadway expansion be?

Because the new road connection is not yet constructed or open, we have not had those conversations with the City road maintenance department. We will determine that priority once the road is open.

What kind of overhead street lighting will the new road have?

Neighborhood residents have expressed a preference for the type of lights that are installed on the outside edges of the road and shine in toward the street and medians.

The project will be using light guards/shields on the fixtures. The position of the road lower than the natural embankment will also help buffer the lights.

What will the height of the overhead streetlights be?

The height of the overhead streetlights will be based on City standards through Colorado Springs Utilities.

Was there a need for the City to acquire property or easements for the road and if so, what was the process?

The design of the road was refined to follow the existing topography, and strategically aligns such that it limits impacts to the adjacent floodplain, neighborhoods and property. There were a small number of properties and/or easements required. Negotiations with those property owners have been completed.

The City follows the Uniform Relocation Act in which the City conducts an appraisal, the property owner has the option to also conduct its own appraisal (at no cost to the property owner) and then the two are negotiated. Fair compensation is provided for any properties affected by temporary easements, permanent easements or Right-of-Way acquisition.

Describe the bike lanes and sidewalks on the new Centennial Boulevard extension.

Bike lanes on the new Centennial Boulevard extension are part of the City’s “Complete Streets” program.

The section from Chestnut Street to Fillmore Street will have 4-foot wide on-street bike lanes on each side of Centennial Boulevard next to the curb and gutter, which provides another two feet. In areas approaching the intersections, where traffic is running on either side of the bike lanes, we will reduce the width of the through-lanes and turn lanes and increase the width of the bike lanes to 6-feet to create more room for bikers. This will run the length of the entire corridor.

In addition, a 10-foot concrete multi-use path will be on the west side of Centennial Boulevard, a 6-foot concrete sidewalk on the east side, and a mid-block pedestrian crossing just to the west of the end of Madison Street to connect to the park and open spaces. The 10-foot concrete multi-use path on the west side of the new road from Interstate-25 up to Fillmore Street will provide cyclists with an off-street option.

Will the on-street bike lanes be buffered, and will they be maintained?

There will not be buffered bike lanes at this section of road. We will have a 10-ft. multi-use trail in this corridor. For those who are not comfortable biking on the road can use that multi-use trail. We will also have a pedestrian activated signal will help get people from the neighborhood to the Broadview Open Space and down to the road.

The City will maintain the bike lanes to the best of our ability.  We do have street sweeping and as well as snow removal.

Will there be additional residential development in the project area?

Mostly, the new Centennial Boulevard road connection will provide residents on the northwest side of town better connectivity to Interstate-25; however, the road extension does open up some opportunities for residential development around VA clinic where there is a lot of undeveloped land.

There are a few apartment and townhome projects planned for the area.

The land from the MVS property boundary to the south will not be developed.

Everything from Madison Street to the south will not have any adjacent development.

MVS plans to develop its property but they have not yet submitted plans. Its’ property west of Centennial is planned as apartments.

There is a church planned at Van Buren Street and Centennial Boulevard.

Further down from the church boundary could be some residential and maybe a small office but there are no plans yet.