Semi crash in I-25 construction zone in Northern Colorado led to extended closure, Construction will continue for 3 more years

CBS News

2 days ago

A semi crashed into a bridge on Thursday morning, causing both directions of Interstate 25 to shut down in Northern Colorado for all of the morning and the early part of the afternoon. The crash happened in a stretch of the interstate that has been undergoing expansion construction. The Colorado Department of Transportation confirms crashes in the construction zone have been on the rise.
The interstate fully reopened at approximately 3 p.m.
CDOT has been working to expand both north and southbound lanes from Dacono through Fort Collins for years now. The project has completed work between Loveland and Fort Collins and is now focused on the stretches south of Loveland.
CDOT's Jared Fiel said the construction zones between Loveland and Fort Collins also saw a spike in crashes during that work, however the rates dropped quickly after construction completed.
While unable to confirm what caused Thursday morning's crash, Fiel said a majority of the collisions taking place in the construction zones are connected to excessive speeds.
"We really need people to be aware this is a construction zone," Fiel said.
While some may say the lanes appear to be smaller in the construction zones, Fiel said that is not the case. He said the cement barriers being closer to the lanes creates an optical illusion of a smaller lane, and leaves less margin for error.
"Those lanes are just as wide as every other lane, it just appears tighter because the barrier is close," Fiel said.
"It's nerve racking. You have to pay attention. You got to be on your toes, you know," said Max Salen, a truck driver passing through Colorado.
Salen was transporting his truckload from Canada to Kansas. In his trek through Colorado he was instructed to avoid a portion of I-25 through Northern Colorado.
"I have a wide load, I don't know what is going on," Salen said.
When he heard about the construction and the Thursday morning crash, he said it did not surprise him too much that the area was more dangerous than other stretches.
"It is a whole thing. Even my permit is telling me to go around all that stuff," Salen said.
Salen said it is more challenging to navigate construction zones in such large trucks, especially when other drivers in smaller vehicles are speeding and cutting trucks off.
"I'm always looking for someone stupid and to cut by you. It comes with the job," Salen said. "Oh yeah. Guys will whip around you. They don't care. But you have to account for that."
Construction in the area isn't expected to be completed until 2028.
Fiel said they have installed rumble strips to notify drivers they are entering work zones. CDOT is also in the testing phase of introducing speed cameras in the construction zones which would eventually issue citations to drivers for exceeding construction zone speed limits.
"We know this eventually is going to make tings safer. What we need right now is for people to be paying attention, especially in a work zone," Fiel said.