In March, The New Falcon Herald began a series on dangerous intersections in the Falcon area. The first in the series focused on the intersection of Meridian Road and Londonderry Drive; the second focused on the intersection of Flower Road and Meridian Road and the intersection of Bent Grass Meadows Drive and Meridian Road.According to those articles, failure to yield right-of-way and inattentive driving were the leading causes of accidents at each of those intersections.This month, the NFH focused on the intersection of Highway 24 and Garrett Road. According to the Colorado State Patrolís statistics team, inattentive driving was a leading cause of crashes at this intersection; following cars too closely came in second.Michelle Peulen, Colorado Department of Transportation communication manager for southeast Colorado, said CDOT completed a project at the intersection in October 2017 that included adding a raised median so drivers turning left from Garrett Road onto westbound Highway 24 have a designated acceleration lane. The right-hand lane of westbound Highway 24 no longer has a red-yellow-green traffic signal; rather, it is a steady green signal, so traffic does not need to stop if they are traveling west beyond Garrett Road. The project also included the addition of a turn lane from westbound Highway 24 onto Garrett Road, with a signal indicating drivers must yield to oncoming traffic prior to turning. Construction at that intersection, which began in May 2017, could have played a part in some of the accidents as drivers were acclimating to the new road configuration and navigating construction zones, she said.Trooper Josh Lewis with the CSP said the frequency of crashes at that intersection has increased every year since 2015. ìThere was a massive spike in 2017, as crashes rose 333.33 percent from 2016,î he said. ìFortunately, all of these crashes have resulted in property damage only; there were no injuries or fatalities.îAccidents at this intersection occurred most frequently on Mondays and Fridays, he said.Peulen said taking away the traffic signal at Garrett and Highway 24 has greatly improved the traffic flow; she anticipates fewer accidents at the intersection now that construction is complete. ìTaking away the light improves traffic flow so there are not backups but (the absence of the traffic light) also increases capacity,î she said. ìIt basically increases the flow of traffic while decreasing congestion.îCDOT has $1 billion in unmet needs throughout Colorado for projects like this one, which Peulen said the department hopes to address in the next few years if funding becomes available. ìWe are playing catch-up throughout the state,î she said. ìOur biggest push for potential projects is traveler safety and reduced traffic crashes by reducing congestion.îOne way that drivers can improve their chances of safely getting from one place to another is to ìknow before you go,î Peulen said. ìWe always say, no matter what the time of year is, check out our website to see road conditions, lane closures and construction areas. Know what you are getting into before you leave your house.ìIt is up to all of us as drivers to make good choices, no matter where you are going, including wearing your seat belt and avoiding distracted or impaired driving.î
