Powers widening project continues Published Sept. 27, 2016 21st Civil Engineer Squadron PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Due to on-going road construction along Powers Boulevard, Airport Road and onto Stewart Avenue, personnel can expect traffic delays, temporary redirection of vehicles on Powers, lane closures and longer lines when entering the west gate for the next two to three weeks. Motorists will also see speed reductions for worksite safety leaving the west gate during this time. Plan accordingly and use caution in the construction zones. Construction crews will be continuing work on Stewart Avenue in conjunction with the widening of Powers Boulevard. It will consist of widening a portion of Airport Road and making improvements to the Stewart Avenue intersection, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. "With the amount of vehicles now traveling through this area, widening Powers and reconstructing the Airport Road intersection will be key in helping to improve traffic flow," said Mike Bass, CDOT project engineer. The traffic signals at Airport and Stewart will be removed and a free flowing intersection will be created during final phases of construction. "Reducing congestion will enhance traffic operations and safety,” said Glenn Messke, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron. “The work along the corridor and both intersections will result in new traffic patterns and improved conditions.” Motorists will not stop going out of the west gate through the intersection and use the existing entrance entering northbound Powers and left turn for southbound. Messke said there will be a median with delineators - flexible, vertical markers - to guide and protect through-traffic. From the Powers and Airport side, he said the approach will be widened and two dedicated right-turn lanes onto Stewart will be added. Currently there is one right-turn lane and another that goes straight through the intersection to the old Airport Road, which will be completely closed as part of the work.The work will help to reduce already increasing volumes and capacity as development along Powers continues, Messke said. The new improvements will be monitored and its effectiveness revisited by both 21st CES and CDOT. Any changes that need to be made can be addressed as the new intersection layout gets more use. "This phase of the project will impact Peterson the most and with all the roadwork in the region, you are always going to have (challenges)," Messke said. "Our focus is the safety of our personnel and their families along with the public."Other road projects going on around the base are progressing, Messke said. The widening of Powers should be done in early-to-mid October. The widening project on Marksheffel Road is slated to run through spring of 2017, but the section between Drennan Road and the east gate is scheduled to reopen Oct. 1. The Marksheffel work is being conducted by El Paso County and Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority. For more information, check the base website at www.peterson.af.mil. Both 21st CES and CDOT will post social media updates about the project.