(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Thursday, July 25 elected officials and leaders from the Colorado Department of Transportation gathered to break ground on the CO 21/Powers Boulevard and Airport Road Interchange.

According to CDOT, the new Interchange will be built just north and east of the existing intersection. Work will include bridge and ramp construction, placing embankment, concrete paving, overhead signs, new traffic signal systems, and permanent water quality ponds.

“With more than 50,000 vehicles traveling Powers Boulevard each day here at Airport Road, along with the Powers Corridor planning project, the need for an interchange at this location was indicated and was added to our 10-year priority project list.” CDOT Region 2 Transportation Director Shane Ferguson said, “this diverging diamond interchange will address congestion, improve safety and add multimodal facilities that will allow for a safer and more comfortable travel experience for cars, pedestrians, and cyclists.”

CDOT said a Diverging Diamond Interchange crosses traffic to the opposite side of the road across an interchange so vehicles have unimpeded movement onto ramps and left-turn movements that are a challenge in standard four-way interchanges are eliminated. CDOT said the interchange will reduce delays, conflict points, and wrong-way entry to ramps.

The project is set to be finished in late 2026.