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    • CO lawmakers call out CDOT after record number of crashes in construction zones
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    CO lawmakers call out CDOT after record number of crashes in construction zones

    Harry Posted on

    DENVER — Data from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) shows a 75% increase in accidents on construction sites this year compared to last year. Colorado lawmakers are now calling on the federal government to hold CDOT responsible for these deaths.

    Representatives Greg Lopez, Doug Lamborn, and Lauren Boebert wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg asking him to detail how the agency conducts investigations into state transportation departments and what type of oversight USDOT has. Congressman Jodey Arrington of Texas and Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri signed the letter.

    Lawmakers allege contractors working with CDOT raised “numerous concerns, including disregard for state and federal safety guidelines.”

    “They’re basically saying we need to do this to protect the safety of drivers on the highways. And CDOT is saying, ‘No, I don’t think we need to go to that level,'” Rep. Lopez said. person leading the effort.

    The letter lists four accidents that killed 11 people in three months:

    • June 6: Two women stopped by flaggers at a construction site on Highway 550 in Montrose County were killed when they were rear-ended by a speeding vehicle.
    • Aug. 15: A newlywed couple and the bride’s mother were killed in a crash involving a semi-truck on Interstate 70 in Wheat Ridge. The Wheat Ridge Police Department determined that no crime had been committed. CDOT implemented safety changes in that construction zone following the crash.
    • Sept. 4: Two CDOT maintenance workers and a passenger were killed in a crash on US 6 in Mesa County.
    • Sept. 18: Three people were killed when a semitruck collided with a minivan on I-70 between Bethune and Burlington after hitting cones and a concrete barrier while merging.

    We asked Lopez why he believes CDOT is responsible for the crashes mentioned in the letter.
    “If you have a safety plan that has to meet all the rules, has to meet all the criteria, why are the fatality rates on construction sites increasing?” Lopez said.

    Accordingly CDOT dataThere were 11 deaths caused by construction sites in 2021 and 10 deaths in 2022. The state has seen 16 deaths from construction sites in 2023.

    So far this year, there have been 28 deaths from construction sites in Colorado; With six weeks left until the end of the year, there was a 75% increase compared to last year. 38 people were injured in such accidents.

    CDOT has determined that distracted driving contributes to nearly a quarter of construction site crashes that result in death or serious injury.

    “(Coloradans) want to feel like they can drive safely on the highway. When they encounter a construction site, they won’t have to worry about getting rear-ended. Because of the realignment of the roadway, they want to have a head-on collision, which creates a safety hazard,” Lopez said.

    CDOT said in a statement that it “shares the serious concerns about the pattern we have seen on work areas over the past several years.”

    Full description:

    “CDOT shares serious concerns about the pattern we have seen in work zones over the last several years – which is unfortunately but not surprisingly associated with a record construction period across the state, with more work zones and more construction, especially along interstates. The nature of work zones It is inherently located in heavily trafficked areas and presents security challenges that require the continued focus and attention of both government and industry.

    With respect to I-70 and Ward, construction plans were designed in accordance with federal and state guidelines by a consultant retained by CDOT, sealed by the Engineer of Record, and approved by CDOT. CDOT’s after-action review confirmed that the work area was implemented in accordance with approved construction plans. CDOT has taken a few more actions, starting with further lowering the speed limit in the area. Flashing lights and an overhead variable message board were added to the signage that existed before the incident to draw more attention to the work area ahead. After the project team conducted driving investigations in the work zone and noticed that excessive speeding was common in the area, speed feedback signs were also installed and CDOT partnered with local and state law enforcement to enforce speed limits.

    CDOT pays particular attention to and proactively highlights safety issues in construction zones because these areas are inherently different from the normal roadway configuration. “This means that problematic driving behaviors that we call normal, such as speeding, impaired driving and distracted driving, can have serious consequences beyond what they do on other parts of the roadway.”

    Lawmakers asked Buttigieg to respond to their demands by November 22.

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    Harry
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