Keep your eyes on the road this summer. That can be hard, given Colorado’s scenery, but you owe it to highway workers and fellow motorists.
Summer is crunch time for highway work, and state Department of Transportation workers have more than 100 constructions projects on their plate this season, not counting routine maintenance chores or local work.
That adds up to a lot of cone zones and potential danger. In 2004 (the most recent stats available), there were 1,906 accidents that injured 768 people and killed 14 – 12 of whom were motorists, not highway workers.
The State Patrol will be devoting extra resources to construction zone enforcement this summer. Last year, 2,000 tickets were written in cone zones; troopers are expected to double that this year.
But the main responsibility for safety is with drivers. So, stay alert, stay off the cellphone and slow down when you see orange. It’s better to arrive late at your destination than to never arrive at all. For current projects on state highways, check
