COLORADO SPRINGS — The construction project on South Rockrimmon Boulevard is one of many going on across the city right now, but News5 has learned for some of those Rockrimmon residents this project brings a change they've spent more than a decade asking for.
Charles Castle loves his Rockrimmon neighborhood, but he's spent years begging the city to make a change here.
"Oh man it's just like near close calls, very close calls," said Castle.
For drivers there's poor visibility of oncoming traffic in both directions.
"We didn't want an accident to happen where somebody died literally at the intersection before we got a traffic light," said Castle.
It's why Castle began asking for a traffic light more than a decade ago.
"Back in 2005 we had lived here about a year. I went to the city to see about getting a traffic light then then and they said it was too expensive and we're not going to do that," said Castle.
But in 2019 the climate has changed. This Rockrimmon neighborhood is surrounded by construction work and orange barrels. Public Works Operations and Maintenance leader Corey Farkas says with this roadwork going on, the city can finally give this neighborhood what it wants.
"They are going to be getting that signal in conjunction with us rebuilding the roadway. The good part about the coordination here is that we as the maintenance group will be able to install all of their infrastructure," said Farkas.
Castle believes his persistence paid off.
"You ask nicely, but you stay on top of it. It's the process that you stay on top of it and help people to stay accountable and you don't just disappear," said Castle.
Soon this Rockrimmon intersection will be safer for generations to come.
"20 years after I'm dead and gone somebody's life will be saved because of the traffic light that's here," said Castle.
The construction project did recently hit a snag. The contractor had to rip up more than 600 feet of freshly paved sidewalk because it wasn't up to Americans With Disabilities Act standards, but the city still expects this construction to be done by the end of October. At that point the residents living near Rockrimmon Blvd. and Fence Post Dr. can expect to see the new traffic light.
