Woodmen-Academy remake progressing as everyone learns to handle traffic
Construction at the intersection of Woodmen Road and North Academy Boulevard is in full swing, traffic cones, hard hats and all.
The $42 million project, which began last September, will raise Woodmen over Academy, making the intersection a grade-separated interchange. The project will improve traffic flow in response to growth and development in the area.
Construction is on schedule and is going smoothly, but its impact on nearby businesses and residents has been a bit rougher. Below is a snapshot of the project — numbers that stand out as well as the stories behind them.
15: months from now until the project is scheduled to be completed. The project is a little more than one-third finished, and commuters are expected to be able to drive on a new bridge over Academy by this fall. The project is on track to be completed by September 2011, said Dan Krueger, project manager. “It’s going to be a very busy summer though,” he said.
35: millions of dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will help pay for the project.
120,000: cars that pass through the Woodmen and Academy intersection daily. With Woodmen traffic expected to increase 50 percent during the next 20 years, separating the roads will increase traffic capacity and improve traffic flow, Krueger said.
425: orange barrels that are currently set up at the construction site. Edward Kraemer & Sons, the general contractor for the project, has pledged that four lanes on Woodmen and six lanes on Academy will remain open throughout construction.
30: longest number of minutes that Natasha Walker has been stuck in traffic at the intersection. Walker lives at the Villages at Woodmen apartments at the southeast corner of Woodmen and Academy. She usually winds her way through side streets to circumvent the construction zone and says the constant noise that begins at dawn has made her consider moving out. “The way I see it though, is when they’re done it’s all going to be worth it,” she said.
1: bikers seen trying to navigate through the construction zone during rush hour on a recent Wednesday. The finished project will include sidewalks and east-west bike lanes along Woodmen Road.
30: years that Doug Smith has owned Crown Discount Wine and Liquor, 6932 N. Academy Blvd.
Smith says that he has never seen a drop in sales like the one he’s experiencing now. “I didn’t know if it was the economy at first, but I do know I’ve been seeing less customers and less ringups,” said Smith, who has been marking down prices to keep customers coming back. “Tell people not to forget about us.”
1965: year that Lois Suriano moved to the area near Woodmen and Academy. She still visits Crown Discount to buy her spirits, but concedes that it is a bit inconvenient. “I don’t know if you ever get used to it,” she said.
6.5: minutes it took to drive from Interstate 25 to Academy on Woodmen at 5:30 p.m. on a recent Wednesday. Despite construction, the number of cars passing through the intersection has not changed significantly, Krueger said.
1: minimum number of times that most customers mention the construction when they enter Sign of the Rose Florist according to owner Linda Doole. “With just about every customer, it used to be ‘oh the weather,’ now its ‘oh the construction,’” she said.
—Contact the writer at 636-0187.
Traffic headed east Thursday morning on Woodmen Road past Academy Blvd. Photo by CAROL LAWRENCE, THE GAZETTE
Metal beams were lowered into place Thursday to construct an overpass over Woodmen Road at Academy Blvd. After traffic realignment to make room for the overpass, two lanes on Woodmen and three lanes on Academy are open during peak traffic hours. Photo by CAROL LAWRENCE, THE GAZETTE
Linda Doole has owned Sign of the Rose Florist for 22 years. Her business is located at the intersection of Woodmen Road and Academy Blvd. Photo by BRYAN OLLER, THE GAZETTE