Paine Street gets 'extreme' makeover

Published Feb. 28, 2011
By Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Paine Street is shedding its country-road, two-lane identity to become a major four-lane boulevard on Peterson Air Force Base.

Beginning in April, the street, which connects Peterson Boulevard and Stewart Avenue, will be under construction and will be turned from a two-lane road into a four-lane divided boulevard, similar to Peterson Boulevard and Stewart Avenue.

Widening Paine Street has been on the books for some time, said Fred Brooks, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron civil engineer. But, now the timing is right. On the west side of Paine Street, across from McDonald's, a Space Education and Training Center is under construction. Once built, that education facility will increase the traffic on Paine Street, especially since thousands of space professionals each year will attend the center for training.

PCL Construction Services, Inc., the company building the education center, will build the road too, Mr. Brooks said.

"We'll add street lighting, and a divided medium with some landscaping on both sides," said Fred Brooks, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron civil engineer. "It will have a sidewalk that connects Stewart to Peterson."

Construction will be completed in five phases, starting with the first phase in April. The $1.5 million project, which is funded by Congress, is scheduled to be complete by mid-November.

Paine Street is only a half mile long but it leads to recreation, children learning, lunch, mail and money. It only made sense to complete the work in phases because there are so many motorists who drive on Paine Street to get to softball fields, the Child Development Center, McDonald's restaurant, the U.S. Post Office and two banks, Mr. Brooks said.

Phase one begins on the side closest to Stewart Avenue. As each phase is completed, the new section of the road will be opened. Throughout the project, Otis Avenue will be the main detour. Motorists can access McDonald's restaurant, the banks and the U.S. Post Office from Otis Avenue, Mr. Brooks said.

The tricky part will be phases four and five, which will upgrade the road near Peterson Avenue and the entrance and exit to the Child Development Center. As each of these phases in front of the CDC is under construction, there will only be one entrance/exit to the CDC.

The CDC parking lot will be restriped prior to the construction to help parents follow a circular pattern in the parking lot.

The new, wider boulevard will eliminate safety hazards, including multiple exits from the bank parking lots that were too close together and too close to the intersection. The two lanes in each direction will allow motorists to pass those turning and the four-lanes total will double road capacity, Mr. Brooks said.

"Story boards will be posted in high traffic areas such as the CDC, banks, post office, BX and commissary so everyone affected will be able to see how the phases of construction are planned before it starts," Mr. Brooks said.

"It's just a half mile road, but it impacts a lot of people," he said.

Paine Street construction