John McCarty, director of the El Paso county transportation department, was the guest speaker at Falcon Business League’s August meeting. He provided information about future highway construction projects within the county.McCarty said El Paso County covers an area larger than the state of Rhode Island, so it was important to complete a major transportation corridor study to identify regions where roads will need to be expanded or built over the next 30 years. That study is now available on the county Web site, McCarty said. He then explained how road construction is funded.Money to pay for road construction comes from three sources: county funds, grants from federal and state sources and sales tax collected by Rural Transportation Authorities.The two RTAs in the county are the Baptist Road Authority and the Pikes Peak RTA. Sales taxes collected in Monument for the Baptist Road Authority are solely used for the construction of that road and a connection to Interstate 25. Pikes Peak RTA sales tax revenues are used for projects throughout the county.Speaking about road improvements for the Falcon area, McCarty said the county must wait for a decision document from the federal government before the department can start further improvements to Woodmen Road. He expects the document to be ready by October, with road construction to begin in March.Half of the $23 million improvements will be paid from county funds, with the Woodmen Road Metropolitan District providing revenue for the second half.Construction plans call for two additional lanes on the north side of existing Woodmen Road lanes. The old Woodmen Road also will be refurbished as a frontage road with the addition of a bike lane, along with upgrading the section between Powers Boulevard and increasing Marksheffel Road to four lanes.The state has awarded a $19 million contract for the Woodmen Road and Powers Boulevard interchange, and construction could begin anytime.County commissioners want to see the department place an emphasis on improving Curtis Road because it is a major corridor between Falcon and Schriever Air Force Base; McCarty said to expect improvements to begin immediately.A design contract has been awarded to improve the west side of Meridian Road, north of the Woodmen Road intersection, with construction to take place late in 2008. A park-and-ride-lot also will be built within the next year at the new intersection of Meridian Road and Highway 24.Around 2010, work will begin on the Hodgen Road corridor project, which will improve 11 miles of roadway between Highway 83 and Eastonville Road. Eight-foot wide shoulders will be built to make room for a bike lane, and planned grade improvements should make the road safer and easier to travel, McCarty said.Responsibility for building Marksheffel Road up to Research Boulevard is divided among two special metro districts and the RTA. Construction will coincide with development in the area, but many improvements should be accomplished by 2008. Future plans for Marksheffel Road call for six lanes by the time Banning Lewis Ranch is completed.McCarty also talked about improvements to County Line Road, south Academy Boulevard and other roads in the county. The final safety project he mentioned concerned the entrance to the county’s transportation department on Marksheffel Road. Currently, the angle of the road creates a dangerous situation because of limited visibility, and McCarty said he wants the road to be improved immediately.He responded to a question from the audience concerning Dublin Boulevard by stating it is Colorado Springs’ responsibility, not the county’s, to build that road. Renee Bartlett, owner of Bartlett Hay, asked what will happen to McLaughlin Road and the old Meridian Road intersection when the new extension of Meridian Road is opened. She also wanted to know why the county doesn’t maintain Chicago Road.McCarty said Chicago Road is an old gravel road that has never been maintained by the county, but the maintenance of McLaughlin and Meridian roads will continue to be a county responsibility.The new Meridian intersection with Highway 24 was necessary because in a past public meeting, Falcon citizens made it clear they did not want a high-speed highway running through the center of town, McCarty said. To accommodate their desires, the department worked on a new alignment of Meridian Road, curving it around to the west.McCarty added that the transportation department has been working with the Falcon incorporation group, giving them any information they requested. He also suggested that Falcon Business League members ask to be appointed to the Highway Advisory Commission or other county boards, so they can have a voice in future planning for their community.
