This $120 million design-build project is the second largest transportation project in the history of the Pikes Peak Region, impacting thousands of motorists, residents, businesses, downtown, and surrounding Colorado Springs. This project replaced a decades-old structure with an efficient and attractive gateway into the Colorado Springs, El Paso County, and mountain communities’ area. As a key local and regional interchange, there was significant community and stakeholder interest in its success. Wilson & Company led preliminary design development to establish the basic configuration design. Additionally, a risk management plan was developed and identified certain project elements to be advanced during procurement to reduce risk and maintain the schedule. As a collaborative effort, the team led the preliminary channel design and hydraulic modeling for upper Fountain Creek and obtained the Floodplain Development Permit, minimizing risk for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the contractor.

As a part of the project, Wilson & Company participated in CDOT’s Project First Pilot Program, which encourages open, honest, and timely collaboration between CDOT, the contractor, and third parties. A resounding success, it is now cited as an example project to follow. Wilson & Company prepared the design-build procurement documents and was the lead firm for construction management. This project included full reconstruction of the interstate and interchange under live traffic conditions over multiple construction seasons in the heart of Colorado Springs.

Project challenges included the integration and funding of high-level pedestrian improvements, accommodating complex traffic operations improvements for the closely spaced southbound ramp and 8th Street intersections, maintenance of traffic during construction, and construction in a floodplain. Through the pilot implementation of the CDOT Project First Program, the team maintained continuous collaboration throughout the projects, resulting in a unique “jug handle” 8th Street intersection solution, a City-Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority-CDOT partnership to build the trail connection, and expedited upper Fountain Creek channel design and phased construction.