Colorado Springs tourist information

Colorado Springs is served by an extensive bus system called Metro (short for Mountain Metropolitan Transit). The system serves most of the city and its nearest suburbs. Taxicabs are available by phone or can usually be chartered at the airport or downtown.

Recently the city has been said to have the worst traffic congestion for a city its size. In order to combat the congestion the Colorado Department of transportation is in the process of widening the I-25 corridor throughout the city from four lanes (two each direction) to six lanes. Ultimately, the plan is to make the interstate eight lanes through the city when funding becomes available.

Because of the city's rapid growth and traffic congestion there have been several plans suggested for the development of a loop around Colorado Springs to allow people to pass around the city instead of through the middle where traffic is worst. Since 1964, Powers Boulevard corridor was designed for the development of a loop around the city and there were high hopes that it would be developed into one. In past years retail stores have secured sites adjacent to Powers Boulevard that have made it unlikely that the Powers loop will ever be completed as originally planned. The transportation plan for the city is named the ITP (Intermodal Transportation Plan). This plan was revised in 2002 to include parts of the east-west mobility study that investigated the need as well as the viability of constructing or upgrading major east-west thoroughfares to ease the traffic flow across town. As part of the east-west mobility study it was suggested that Powers Boulevard be reconstructed as a six-lane limited access freeway from I-25 north of town, south to I-25 south of town.

Going on a trip? Why not browse some of the luggage at eBags.com ^{(external source)}

Other parts of the east-west mobility study include: 1. the widening of Woodmen Road to 6 or 8 lanes from I-25 to Powers Boulevard and the construction of an interchange at Academy Boulevard. There is also the possibility of an express bus system or light rail along Woodmen Road. 2. widening of Austin Bluffs Boulevard to 6 lanes from I-25 to Stetson Hills, as well as connection via Stetson Hills and Barnes to Powers Boulevard. 3. Constructing a connection from Platte Avenue to the I-25/Bijou Street interchange. 4. Upgrading the MLK-bypass to a 6-lane limited access freeway from I-25 to Powers Boulevard. All of these upgrades would most likely be completed by 2020, many of them before 2015.

Summary: If and when all of these projects are completed, the traffic flow in and around Colorado Springs ought to be greatly improved. Overall the new thoroughfares would include one(or two) loop freeways, a spur into the city connecting the main freeway and the loop, east-west expressway upgrades, and easier access to the Colorado Springs Airport.

In addition there are plans to develop a "Front Range Toll Road" which would begin south of Pueblo and end around Fort Collins. This toll road would allow rail and truck traffic to avoid the more highly travelled parts of I-25 along the Front Range. Initially, the project had support but has since been highly contested because of the need to condemn the land of many private citizen, through the use of eminent domain, to make room for the corridor

Colorado Springs is served by the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. It is the second largest airport in the state of Colorado in terms of passenger traffic(Denver International Airport is larger). The airport has experienced a higher recovery rate in the post-9/11 era than the rest of the country and is in the process of expanding its maintenance facilities, taxiways, and runways to accommodate future growth. In 2005 it served approximately two million passengers.

Your vacation. A time to lose yourself. And sometimes your luggage, too. Need Travel Insurance? Why not try Travel Guard ^{(external source)}