FORT CARSON, Colo. — A ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of upgrades to Charter Oak Ranch Road was held May 8, 2023, at the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and Charter Oak Ranch Road near Fort Carson’s Gate 19.
“Fort Carson began the journey to build Gate 19 in 2005. It’s only through our strong partnerships with the Colorado Department of Transportation, El Paso County and the City of Fountain, that I can stand here today witnessing the completion of an 18-year effort with the extensive improvements to Charter Oak Ranch Road,” said Col. Sean M. Brown, Fort Carson garrison commander.
The Colorado Department of Transportation Charter Oak Ranch Road reconstruction project was underway from October 2021 to March 2023 and was funded using federal Military Access, Mobility and Safety Improvement Project funds.
Improving traffic access to Gate 19 gives Soldiers an easier, more direct route to the Wilderness Road Area. Fort Carson traffic studies estimated improvements to Charter Oak Ranch Road and Essayons Road — the on-post connection to Gate 19 — will shift approximately 20 percent of the trips from Fort Carson’s heavily used Gate 20, increasing safety along the Interstate-25 corridor and generating time savings for the post’s 65,000 military personnel and Family members.
Other phases of work in the overall effort to improve access to Gate 19 included Fort Carson building a new access control point for the gate and construction and paving of Essayons Road between 2012 and 2021.
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