Roadtrippin' Colorado Style

All of the updates to the COSMIX section of Ryan's Digital Roadgeekdom will be placed here. This way you don't have to search each and every page on the site to see the updates. Of course, I'm not stopping you...

Special Update: November 10, 2006

While installing the new girders over the North Nevada exit, crews found out what happens when a crane collapses. Of course, I was there to witness the aftermath. For those of you keeping score, this is the third crane accident for this project.

Update 21: September 14, 2006

Back with a vengence! I have (count 'em!) 281 pictures to share with you! Hope you're comfy!

First, I have posted a new video drive-through on the southbound page. I would have gotten one northbound, but the traffic wouldn't let me! (You'll see what I mean when you watch the video, especially around the 6 minute mark.)

The majority of the construction is taking place north of the Garden of the Gods area, so let's break it down: in general, southbound traffic has been placed on the new C/D road. There's a ton of pics available, but let's keep going:

In the Garden of the Gods area, the southbound offramp has been moved onto the frontage road, Rusina Road. This means that traffic wanting to go north on Rusina have to take a detour. The offramp is being redone in cement and widened. The northbound onramp traffic has been shifted onto the new cement that's been there for way too long without traffic on it. Additionally, northbound 25 traffic now shares the southbound side of the overpass over Garden of the Gods. (36 picts)

Continuing to head north, the Rockrimmon exit is continuing to be transformed. The northbound exit has been closed until the northbound traffic is on the C/D road, which should happen before the end of the month. Meanwhile, since southbound traffic is not on the old bridge over Mark Dabling and the railroad tracks, crews have started removing the bridge. This is in pict form on the page, I promise! (59 picts)

At the Monument Creek bridge complex, I came across massive construction and destruction. I documented it all on my Corporate Centre page, as well as discovering Colorado Springs' newest ghost ramp and showing the progress of the Corporate Centre extension to the southbound C/D road. (49 pics)

The North Nevada interchange has changed dramatically, too! The southbound exit now utilizes a temporary exit under a temporary bridge for the northbound lanes. I got the construction of the temporary bridge caught on camera and on the page. We also find COSMIX's worst decision yet: removing the auxilliary lane between Nevada and Woodmen while headed northbound creates MASSIVE delays, sometimes all the way to Bijou! Oops! (38 pics)

Even further north, we find that the Woodmen interchange area is coming together. Lots of new cement, new asphalt, and an accident that clustered traffic are all documented. (39 pics)

The furthest north exit, Academy Boulevard, is seeing construction, too. Mostly in the form of widening leading up to the exit from the south, that is. (12 pics)

To finish up, there's pending construction down by Bijou, too. The southbound onramp from Bijou is scheduled to be closed soon, as is the rightmost north- and southbound lanes between Cimarron and Bijou. This is another spot where traffic is about to thicken. I've taken one last parting shot of the way it was at Cimarron, a few pics of Colorado Avenue and the Midland Trail overpass (which is slated to be replaced by a box culvert) (8 pics on Colorado), some great pics of the underside of the Bijou overpass over Monument Creek, the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, and the railroad tracks (19 pics), and some extras around Fontanero (1) and Ellston (10). Enjoy the massivity!

Update 20: August 24, 2006

Yeah, it's been a while, but I come with gifts! I have added video drive-throughs of both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-25. They are available on the northbound and southbound pages, naturally.

And as this week progresses, I'll be updating all the still pictures as well. I have a ton of new pics from the last few months, and I'm coding the pages as you read this. Check back often to see the new pics. I'll try to release a few new pages a day until I'm caught up.

Update 19: May 23, 2006

Alrighty, folks. Time to adjust the pages again! This will be an ongoing project to get all the pages in the COSMIX section looking the same. The changes: I've made all the preview pics bigger and have moved the captions to the pics to the snazzy popups (courtesy http://www.cssplay.co.uk). Additionally, I have moved the 2005 pictures to their own pages for those pages with a ton of pics. Hopefully that'll speed up the load times on the pages. Finally, I have made the Original Pics appear and disappear on your command by using the "Open" link that's next to the "Original Pictures - taken April 2005" line. Let me know what you think!

Oh yeah, the COSMIX pictures! Construction is still going strong around the Nevada, Corporate Centre, and Rockrimmon exits. The Rockrimmon exit for SB 25 has also been closed until mid-summer to allow for paving operations.

Crews have also been busy clearing the trees and brush from the east side of the interstate between Cimmaron and Bijou Streets in preparation for bridge building there.

Update 18: May 2, 2006

While enjoying a rare Saturday off, I came across some bridge destruction and girder installation. I've documented it all on a special page for now: I'll integrate it into the rest of the pages soon. Enjoy!

Update 17a: April 24, 2006

Now that the NB lanes are fully reopened, I wanted to check out the new alignment. Care to tag along?

Update 17: April 23, 2006

A daytime detour! Northbound I-25 is being moved onto the new C/D bridge that is just to the side of the old bridge. Because the northern landing point of the new bridge was lower than the existing lanes, the existing lanes had to be lowered to the new bridge height. This means traffic was routed onto a two-way configuration in the southbound lanes for 35 hours this last weekend. Of course, me and my camera were there to capture the magic. Because I was on the way to work that Sunday (don't ask), I wasn't able to get many shots of the construction itself, just the detour. Enjoy the two-laned craziness!

Update 16: March 30, 2006

Wow. Miss a month and a lot changes! Here's a rundown:
--The Northbound Rockrimmon exit has been moved about 1/2 mile to the south on I-25. This is to construct the C/D roads through there quicker. Note that the new exit is not that heavily advertised!
--The SB C/D road now has girders installed over Mark Dabling. The NB C/D road now has a takeoff point for its bridge over Mark Dabling.
--Bridge pillars are starting to rise out of the creekbed for the mainline interstate lanes. The pillars completely surround the existing SB bridge. It's like driving through Stonehenge. And at night it's just errie because everything but the SB lanes is lit up.
--In order to speed up construction, SB traffic gets shifted to the NB lanes almost every night.
--The SB exit to N. Nevada twists and turns now. Can anyone say slalom?
--The hay laying along the new sound wall is complete, and the crews are now "landscaping" the storm drains.

Yes, I have pictures of all of that. Ready? Ellston Road (1 new pic) | Garden of the Gods (7 new pics) | Rockrimmon (37 new pics!) | Corporate Centre & Monument Creek Bridges (30 new pics) | N. Nevada (7 new pics) | and Woodmen (2 new pics)

Update 15: February 23, 2006

Okay, back from working every day straight for the last month. And I've brought pictures! I broke down and purchased a new camera, and the pictures it takes are pretty darn good, for the most part. I hope you enjoy the new quality here.

Let's start with the COSMIX open house. I found out that a new plan is in the works to accelerate the construction of the C/D lanes for the Nevada/Rockrimmon exit. They're going to move the Southbound Rockrimmon Exit temporarily. So I had to get me some pics of that.

While we're on the topic of Rockrimmon/Nevada, I want to point out two pictures. The first one is an overhead of the whole construction zone. While I've had this pic here before, my new camera's zoom capabilities allow us to see much, much more detail. The new SB ramp is in the foreground, the SB lanes have been moved onto the new cement and the old lanes have been torn out, retainig walls are visible to the left of the SB lanes, and the bridge structures are taking shape. The second is quite possibly my new favorite pic out of the bunch. This is of the cement pour on the SB C/D bridge over Monument Creek.

As hinted at in the previous block, the SB lanes are now on the new cement between Rockrimmon and Garden of the Gods. Because of this, the SB and NB lanes share the NB side of the Garden of the Gods bridge.

Construction continues on the north side of the Nevada/Rockrimmon area, too. The Woodmen Road and N. Nevada exits are seeing the dirt fly, too. Also, the Corporate Centre Drive exit is officially closed until traffic is rerouted onto the C/D roads, which should happen sometime in late summer.

Picture count:
Fillmore St/Exit 145: 2 new pics
Ellston Street: 1 new pic
Garden of the Gods/Exit 146: 7 new pics
Rockrimmon Rd/Exit 147: 20 new pics
N. Nevada/Exit 148A: 10 new pics
Corporate Centre/Exit 148B/Monument Creek Bridges: 22 new pics
Woodmen Rd/Exit 149: 3 new pics
Northbound I-25: 7 new pics
Southbound I-25: 14 new pics
Enjoy this update!

Update 14a: January 26, 2006

Quick administrative note. I filled up the account I had on my old 95mb.com server, so I decided to break down and get my own domain. http://cosmix.r-dub.us is now the home of all my COSMIX pictures, http://r-dub.us is the home of my site. Update your bookmarks!

Update 14: January 24, 2006

Construction work is still focusing on the mile between MM 147 and 148 this week. First up, the NB exit to North Nevada Avenue has been closed for the next 5 weeks. This is due to "drainage and access" issues related to the continued construction of the C/D roads. (5 new pics on the Nevada page)

Work on the C/D roads continues, too. The Southbound C/D road's bridge over Monument Creek now has girders on it, too. Additionally, construction on the Corporate Centre Drive extension has begun with the tearing up of a hotel's parking lot. (16 new picts)

Also, the Rockrimmon Boulevard exit has gone through a minor change. The NB loop ramp has been tightened considerably. With just plastic orange poles separating the offramp and onramp lanes, I'm expecting a head-on accident here soon. (14 new picts)

Additionally, barricades have started to disappear from the median from around the Fillmore Street interchange. Current plans are to open the third lane southbound as soon as it is warm to resurface and restripe... (2 new picts)

HELVETICA ALERT!!!!! If I didn't know any better, I'd say the Helvetica typeface has made it to Colorado. Check out the exit closed signs all along northbound I-25. (10 new picts)

There's also updated pics on the southbound page and on the Garden of the Gods page. (5 and 3 new, respectively)

Update 13: January 17, 2006

As per all of the news releases here in town, COSMIX is starting to move forward quickly. First up is the installation of the bridge girders for the northbound C/D road over Monument Creek. Since the trail is still open to pedestrians and bicyclists, I'm able to give you some great snaps of bridge construction in motion. See it here! (13 new pics, some quite large)

Bridge pillar installation continues around and in the middle of Mark Dabling Road, part of the Rockrimmon Blvd. interchange. (12 new pictures)

The Garden of the Gods Road interchange is still seeing parts of COSMIX, too. The new right-turn signals for SB 25's offramp are installed, and traffic is just about to be shifted to the new NB 25 onramp. (4 new pics)

There's also new pics on the northbound (5), southbound (7), and the N. Nevada exit (1) pages. Enjoy!

Update 12: December 22, 2005

Okay, took some time off so I could keep warm. And I'm not the only one. Most of the I-25 work in the COSMIX zones has slowed down, too. It's tough to restripe lanes and pour cement and asphalt in sub-20 degree weather.

The one part of the COSMIX project that has not been affected by the cold snap is the construction of the NB and SB C/D lanes over Monument Creek. In the last month, new pillars have been erected. These pillars are now in the process of getting capped so that the bridge girders have somewhere to live. See it all on my Corporate Centre Drive page. (33 new pictures)

And the bridge structures are going in around the Rockrimmon Boulevard exit as well. Including pillar installation in the middle of Mark Dabling Road! Ooohhh... aaahhh... (22 new pictures)

Work continues around the Garden of the Gods Road exit as well. You also get to see Rockrimmon Constructors/SEMA's holiday present to you! (No, it's not additional lanes...yet.) (15 new pictures)

The re-alignment of the Southbound lanes over Ellston Road was supposed to happen before the start of December. Due to the cold temperatures, it was repeatedly postponed. The lanes were finally placed back into their original configuration overnight on December 21, 2005. See the pics on the Ellston Page. (12 new pictures)

There's also new pictures at the Woodmen Road exit (1), Fillmore Street exit (3), the northbound page (10), and the southbound page (14). Enjoy!

Update 11: November 15, 2005

It's time for a facelift to the r-dub Cosmix site! The layout is wider so more pics can be placed horizontally on the page. I've also changed the captions so they only show when you hover the mouse over the picture. Please note that I haven't had a chance to change any of the sizes of the thumbnail pictures, so they will appear distorted. The full-sized pics still look fine. Additionally, I've added a "Jump-To Navigation" floating window to the upper-right corner of the page. This will let you jump around the page to your heart's content. If you close that window, you can repoen it by clicking on the "Jump-to navigation" link on the left side of the page.

Slowly but steadily the temporary barricades are starting to disappear from COSMIX zone 1 (the part between Fillmore and Garden of the Gods). See proof on my Fillmore Street page. (2 new pics)

The sound wall has been stained and the slope between the SB lanes and the wall was smoothed over. But oops! The snazzy slope had to be destroyed again when someone realized they hadn't painted the pillars yet... Also, NB traffic was placed back on its bridge and SB traffic was detoured over Ellston Street. See the SB bridge's facelift on the Ellston page. (30 new pictures)

New cement has been poured north of the Garden of the Gods exit for the southbound lanes, and reconstruction of this exit's NB onramp continues.(16 new pictures)

Work around the Rockrimmon Blvd., N. Nevada Ave., and Corporate Centre Dr. exits is now in full swing. Lanes have been shifted to the left on the southbound lanes (which, since done in the middle of the day on Monday, 11/14, led to some massive delays and backups), Mark Dabling has new asphalt where crews had relocated utilities, and bridge supports are being installed along Monument Creek. (10 new pics on Rockrimmon, 4 new pics on Nevada, and 30 new pics on Corporate Centre)

I've also updated the northbound and southbound pages as well. See the interstate as we all see it, day in and day out.(12 new pics northbound, 11 southbound)

Update 10: October 27, 2005

The interstate around Fillmore Street is seeing the finishing touches on the widening project. Most notable is the re-installation of the median guardrail. (4 new pics)

In the last two weeks, the sound wall between Ellston and Garden of the Gods Road was completed. All that is left is the grading of the soil around it and staining the wall. Additionally, the NB bridge of I-25 over Ellston Road has been rehabilitated now, and traffic is scheduled to shift back onto it in a matter of days. See all of this in picture format on my Ellston Page. (36 new pictures)

Garden of the Gods Road is now experiencing COSMIX, too, with the closure of one of the dual turn lanes from EB GoG to NB I-25. Backups are already high. Additionally, we learn that I-25 will be cement north of the interchange. See it for yourself. (15 new pictures)

Further north, Mark Dabling Road, part of the Rockrimmon interchange, continues to be torn up with utilities relocation. Also, site prep is underway for bridge installation to continue. It's all there for you to see. (16 new pictures)

I noticed some drainage piping by the Corporate Centre Drive exit, so I decided to take a hike down the Monumnet creek trail, and I found construction starting on the new bridges over Monument Creek. (19 new pictures)

I found where Sema, the contractor for the bridges, has their headquarters. See it on my N. Nevada exit page. (1 new picture)

And, as always, I've updated the northbound and southbound pages with pics from the interstate. (7 pictures northbound, 8 southbound)

Update 9: October 13, 2005

Sound wall installation is underway now! See the installation in all its glory on my Ellston page. While there, why don't you check out the bridge? I've put some pictures up about that, too. Watch for falling debris, though! (17 new pics)

Looks like Mark Dabling Road is now in its construction configuration, and we're just about ready to see pillar installation for the new Rockrimmon/Mark Dabling bridge. Check it out on my Rockrimmon page. (15 new pics)

There's a little new activity around Garden of the Gods Road as well. Mostly to the east of the NB lanes.(3 new pics)

And, as usual, I've updated the northbound and southbound drive shots.(10 new pics north, 3 south)

I've added "Jump to newest pics" and "top of page" links where I thought was necessary. Some if these pages are getting quite long, and we're not even at the 6-month point of the COSMIX project!!!

Update 8: October 6, 2005

The northbound side of the Ellston Bridge structure has been closed to traffic. All traffic is now traveling on the southbound side. This is so crews can complete the transformation of the bridge structure. (38 new pics)

Work continues on the median north of Garden of the Gods Road and around the bridge structure itself, including someone's toys that were left laying around. (9 new pics)

Looks like the game plan is to move the alignment of Mark Dabling to the west of its current alignment. Lots of paving is under way there. (5 new pics)

Northbound and southbound pages have new shots on them as well. (14 pics northbound, 9 pics southbound)

Update 7: September 19, 2005

Snazzy new background image! See the real thing here. IF you're viewing this in Internet Explorer, the background image scrolls. That's not what I wanted, but there's no CSS workaround in IE. With all the other browsers, the background image does not move. That's how I wanted it.

New pics on the northbound and southbound pages.

Work on the Ellston Bridge extensions are pretty much complete. More work on the bridges themselves is still on the way, but the big stuff is complete.

Mark Dabling Road around Rockrimmon Boulevard continues to be transformed.

Resurfacing of some pretty bad sections of the interstate has been completed. The contractors only resurfaced the two main lines though. See the results at Exit 141, Exit 142, and Exit 148A.

Update 6: September 12, 2005

New pics on the northbound and southbound pages.

More pics added of the Ellston Street Bridge work.

The median is now closed north of the Garden of the Gods Road interchange all the way to the Rockrimmon Boulevard interchange.

Speaking of the Rockrimmon Boulevard interchange, Mark Dabling Road is now under construction as well.

I even caught a fuel truck refilling some equipment down by the Bijou Street interchange in preparation of pothole repair south of the interchange.

Updates 4 and 5: August 29, 2005

Big steps were taken on the Ellston Street Bridge with the temporary decking and supports being installed. Also new pictures are available on the Exit 145 Page and the Exit 146 Page.

The COSMIX Website is saying the area around the Rockrimmon Boulevard interchange is now under construction. I've wandered around there today and besides for a few barrels and the minor paving of medians on the off ramps, there's nothing new yet. Stay tuned...

Update 3: August 19, 2005

COSMIX continues to transform the stretch of interstate between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road, so that's what I've been documenting. See the new pics on the northbound page, the southbound page, the Exit 145 Page, the Ellston Page, and the Exit 146 Page.

Because of the amount of pics I've been able to get of the Ellston Street Bridge reconstruction site, I've decided to spin those pics off onto their own page. Only the pics for the Fillmore exit will stay on the Exit 145 Page.

To make it easier for you to find the updated pages, I've added an Updates link to the navigation bar on the left side of the page. It'll lead you right to this page. Don't say I don't do anything for you!

Update 2: July 5, 2005

Updates galore! COSMIX is scheduled to begin in earnest tonight, so in celebration, I wandered around and snapped some of the preliminary work and a few new "Original Shots.". See my results on the northbound, southbound, Exit 140, Exit 141, Exit 142, Exit 143, Exit 144, Exit 145 (tons here!), Exit 148A, Exit 148B, and Exit 149 pages. Whew!

Update 1a: June 27, 2005

No new pictures, but I cured the "No Hotlink" error 95mb.com threw Internet Explorer users. Popups are done with a JavaScript script now, so I hope you have JavaScript enabled on your browser...

Update 1: June 20, 2005

Subscribe to my new snazzy RSS feed and never miss another R-Dub update again.

New COSMIX pictures from Exit 140, Exit 145, Exit 147, and traveling northbound.

All exit pages now have an aerial shot from Terraserver-USA and, when available, a Live Camera shot from springsgov.com, Colorado Springs's homepage.