Eighth Street bridge nears reopening but new closures loom

• The bridge fix coincides with the groundbreaking of a 294-apartment complex at the former Office Depot and Hobby Lobby site nearby.

The latest: All lanes on Eighth Street, including a new turn lane onto the Cimarron Street frontage road, should open in April, city planners say.

• The old pedestrian bridge connecting to the Midland Trail should go in later this spring.

Yes, but: The relief won't last.

• Closures are just getting started on the other end of the Eighth Street project.
• The left turn onto Motor City Drive shuts down Monday for roughly three months.
• The center lane of Eighth Street south of Motor City Drive will also close.

Zoom in: Permits for the Junction on 8th Apartments — three four-story buildings valued at $50 million — were issued in February, according to the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department.

• The developer, Blackburn, didn't respond to Axios, but told the city that construction would take 18 months.

What's next: Expect more disruption.

Crews will tear up portions of Eighth Street closer to Motor City Drive in the coming months, followed by signal work at West Moreno Avenue and Lower Gold Camp Road.

• The Mountain Metro bus stop in front of Walmart is temporarily moving one block north, closer to the Shell station.
• Sidewalk, trail and roadway upgrades are also on the way.

The bottom line: With the bridge lane closures almost done, expect cones and delays on Eighth Street through at least December.