8th St Construction will Start This May – Share Your Thoughts

The 8th Street Improvement Project is moving forward, and the City of Colorado Springs is hosting an open house to share updates on construction plans, including the widening of the 8th Street bridge over Fountain Creek and new bike/pedestrian infrastructure.

8th St Construction Public Meeting

When: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Where: Norris Penrose Event Center (1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd.)

At the meeting, you can:
✅ Learn about key project elements, including bridge widening and bike/pedestrian upgrades
✅ View the construction timeline (starting late May 2025)
✅ Ask questions and share feedback with the project team

What’s New in the Project?

Since bike Colorado Springs meeting with the project team and our initial post from 2022, the scope has expanded to include Bridge Rehabilitation & Widening.

Over Fountain Creek the 8th Street bridge will be widened to the east, adding:

A new northbound through lane + turn lanes
A new sidewalk on the east side (replacing the old pedestrian bridge, which will stored for a future project)

🚲 Bike & Pedestrian Upgrades – The project will include:

Striped bike lanes (not protected or off-street) along 8th St.
A 10-foot multi-use trail connection from the Midland Trail to 8th St.
Improved sidewalks & crossings on the west side

Mapillary image showing where 8th St Construction is planned, depicting current condition with narrow sidewalk, on street bike lane and wide vehicle lanes — Mapillary image of 8th Street showing current condition with narrow sidewalk, on street bike lane and wide vehicle lanes

Our Concerns: Safety for People Biking & Walking

While we’re glad to see improvements, we’re pushing for better bike infrastructure on this high-traffic corridor (30,000+ vehicles/day at 35 mph).

Red Dots show where 8th falls on the city’s Bicycle Facility Guidance document outlined in the Toolbox section of the Bicycle Masterplan

Key issues:

Striped bike lanes (not protected)
The City’s own Bike Master Plan recommends buffered lanes as a minimum for “Strong & Fearless” riders. Basic painted lanes may not feel safe for most.
Midland Trail connection gap
If the 10-foot off-street trail doesn’t continue south—how will riders transition safely to on-street bike lanes?

Below is information that we have compiled from the 8th street FAQ and Fact sheet that can be found on the city’s project website (under the public information tab).

8th Street/Midland Trail Connection

The Midland Trail will connect to 8th Street via a new, 10-foot multi-use lane on the east side of the 8th Street bridge over Fountain Creek. There also will be a dedicated bicycle lane on northbound and southbound 8th Street between the sidewalk and traffic lanes.

Planned 8th Street Layout

The new road profile will maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction, plus a center turn lane. An additional northbound lane will be added to the 8th Street bridge over Fountain Creek. There will be a separate bicycle lane northbound between the sidewalk and traffic lanes.

West side of 8th Street sidewalk and driveway treatments

On the west side of the street, the project will fill in the missing sidewalk sections and improve ramps/crosswalks. The project will control driveway accesses on the West side to improve traffic safety and will add sidewalks along the corridor for pedestrian safety. We will remove the continuous, curbless driveways along this stretch, bringing the area up to modern safety standards. New curb and gutter will improve drainage in the area.

Project Timeline

📅 Phase 1 (Spring-Summer 2025) – Bridge widening
📅 Phase 2 (Fall-Winter 2025) – Water main replacement (Vermijo Ave to Motor City Dr.)
📅 Phase 3 (Spring-Summer 2026) – Roadway paving & final touches

How You Can Help

Attend the May 7 Open House – Voice your support for safer bike infrastructure!
Stay informed – Check the City’s 8th Street Project Page
Advocate with us – Bike COS is pushing for better designs. Learn more: Better 8th Street Connection

Let’s make 8th Street safer for everyone—whether walking, biking, or driving!

8th St Construction Public Meeting

What’s New in the Project?

Our Concerns: Safety for People Biking & Walking

Key issues:

Project Timeline

How You Can Help

Bike to Wherever week

Calling all Westside Neighbors! Shape a safer, more vibrant community!

Sinton Closure This Spring for Bridge Demolition

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