New campaign offers I-25 ‘Gap’ commuters incentives to take the bus or carpool

By Rachel Riley, The Gazette 03/21/2019 | updated 7 years ago

State and regional officials have unveiled a new incentive program to reduce the number of vehicles on the Interstate 25 “Gap,” which will soon be the state’s longest construction zone.

The Colorado Department of Transportation, Denver Regional Council of Governments and Mountain Metropolitan Transit have launched I-25 MyWay, which offers discounts and promotions on transportation services to encourage commuters to take a bus or carpool while the stretch from Monument to Castle Rock is being widened.

“The idea is to get more people moving on the corridor with fewer vehicles,” said CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson. “This is just getting the word out that there are other options – options that are pretty budget-conscious.”

The I-25 widening, slated for completion in 2022, will add a pair of toll lanes to expand the interstate from two to three lanes in each direction. Crews broke ground on the $350 million project after Labor Day, and construction is already taking place on the northern and southern ends of the Gap. Later this spring, work will be underway on the entire 18-mile span when crews start construction on the middle portion, too, Wilson said.

Two lanes will continue to remain open in each direction during the daytime, unless an emergency arises, he said.

Officials say the MyWay campaign aims to promote a safer and faster trip for Gap commuters by urging them to use one of the following modes of transportation:

? Bus: Riders can now take the state-run Bustang service to and from Colorado Springs and the Denver Tech Center for $9 each way. A trip to or from downtown Denver costs $12 each way. The buses have restrooms, bike racks, free Wi-Fi and device charging stations. New users can request a free round-trip ride to downtown Denver or the Denver Tech Center by visiting i25myway.org.

? Carpool: Carpoolers can now track their trips to become eligible for rewards and raffle prizes. Commuters who wish to carpool more than once can use i25myway.org to find a recurring carpool. Waze Carpool smartphone app is also offering Gap commuters $2 rides this spring. The app, run by the same company that offers a popular GPS navigation service, matches drivers and riders headed in the same direction and charges riders a per-mile fee to reimburse the driver for gas. Mountain Metro Transit also has a carpool matching service for local residents at mmtransit.com.

? Vanpool: Mountain Metro Transit is offering a discount on its vanpool service, which offers groups of five to 12 commuters a van to share. A designated driver within the group is chosen for each van, and the service covers insurance, maintenance and fuel. Riders can now get $200 off their first month. Each passenger on a vanpool traveling through the Gap typically pays $205 to $275 per month, depending on the distance traveled. Anyone interested can visit mmtransit.com or call 385-7433.

The alternatives can help passengers save money that might otherwise be spent on vehicle maintenance and make trips safer by thinning traffic in the Gap and reducing the risk of collisions, Wilson said. Plus, the options allow commuters to cut down on their carbon footprints, resulting in a more environmentally friendly way of travel, he said.

“It gives them a chance to try it out, test it out, to see if this is something that works for them,” Wilson said.

As a passenger in a bus or carpool, it also gives commuters extra time to relax, read the newspaper, use a smartphone or get some work done, said Mountain Metro Transit Director Craig Blewitt. He hopes that Colorado Springs residents who commute to the Denver area for their jobs will consider the alternatives.

“If some people can contribute, it will benefit everyone,” he said.

On the northern portion of the Gap – the 5 miles from Castle Rock to Sky View Lane – crews are now building toll lanes in the center of the roadway. This summer, traffic on the segment will be moved toward the median as crews expand the highway’s shoulders, according to CDOT.

On the southern stretch, the 7 miles from Monument to Greenland Road, crews are putting barriers in place, establishing work zones and getting ready to shift traffic, Wilson said.

One major shift will occur this spring at the Greenland Road interchange, where northbound lanes will be moved toward the southbound lanes, separated by a barrier, so the eastern half of the interchange can be built. For construction of the western half, traffic will shift in the opposite direction.

The I-25 widening is being paid with $250 million from the state, $65 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation and $35 million from local governments, including El Paso and Douglas counties.

Work on The Gap on Interstate 25 between Castle Rock and Monument is viewed as a sign of progress on roads by the Polis administration.

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