February 23, 2006

COSMIX Relocating Southbound Rockrimmon Boulevard Ramps
Three-Month Shift Takes Effect Sunday Night


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Southbound Exit 147 from Interstate 25 to Rockrimmon Boulevard will move half a mile south Sunday night, February 26, to accommodate construction in the North Nevada/Rockrimmon area.

The on- and off-ramps at southbound I-25 and Rockrimmon will be temporarily relocated to connect to Pro Rodeo Drive, south of the current location, for three months. This construction activity will not impact the northbound on- and off-ramps at Rockrimmon, which connect to Mark Dabling Boulevard.

The connection at Pro Rodeo Drive also will allow motorists access between I-25 and Rusina Road, Tech Center Drive and the Rockrimmon neighborhood. This temporary configuration, expected to last three months, replaces a scheduled full two-month closure of the southbound Rockrimmon ramps.

This change from the original construction schedule reduces long-term impacts to the public, a benefit of the innovative Design/Build construction process, said Dave Poling, project manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation. "Design/Build is a construction process that allows a project contractor to adapt plans to maximize resources, facilitate construction and minimize inconvenience to the public," he explained.

Project plans estimated that the southbound on and off-ramps to Rockrimmon Boulevard would need to be closed for two months during construction. However, working in conjunction with the City of Colorado Springs and the Colorado Department of Transportation, Rockrimmon Constructors has minimized the impact through the use of the temporary ramps, reducing the need for a full closure down to one month in May.

The work at the Rockrimmon interchange is part of a total reconstruction of interchanges at North Nevada Avenue and Corporate Centre Drive. When COSMIX is completed, all three streets will be accessible from one exit, similar to the exit for South Nevada Avenue and Tejon Street near downtown Colorado Springs. Frontage roads, also called "collector-distributor" roads, will run parallel to the interstate, connecting to I-25, Rockrimmon Boulevard, Nevada Avenue and Corporate Centre Drive. This will improve accessibility to businesses and neighborhoods throughout the area. For instance, motorists on city streets will be able to navigate from North Nevada Avenue to Corporate Centre Drive or Rockrimmon Boulevard without traveling on I-25.

Current construction plans call for the new North Nevada/Rockrimmon interchange to be completed in late 2007. However, the flexibility offered by the Design/Build process will enable the new frontage roads, both north- and southbound, to open as early as summer 2006. I-25 traffic will be routed onto the frontage roads while construction of the interstate and connections to the city streets is completed. Project officials expect this may allow completion of the interchange months ahead of schedule.

To keep the public informed of the project's construction and traffic impacts, the project's web site, www.cosmixproject.com, includes a 7-day outlook page that is updated as often as construction plans change. Colorado Springs residents and travelers on I-25 are encouraged to visit that page often for the most current information on how the project impacts their commute.
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