COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs city officials are reminding drivers to pay attention and be patient ahead of the upcoming road construction season.
"A lot of people just are distracted and they just don't have their heads up and paying attention to the roadway in front of them," said Colorado Springs Police Sergeant Shawn Peterson.
Colorado Springs Utilities said crews experienced 12 traffic crashes involving crews working out in the field in 2024.
“We actually had an individual run through our cone zone, came up on the crew that was working and almost hit a piece of equipment," said Michael Myers, the manager of safety and health with Colorado Springs Utilities. "They were actually looking down at their phone trying to send a text message to their mom.”
Colorado State Patrol (CSP) reports construction work zone deaths nearly doubled last year from the year before. CSP said 31 people died in work zones in 2024.
"I would say the majority of the time, they don't even know they're in a construction zone. They're going from minding their business, you know, on the highway, or wherever they're at, and they just continue at the same speed," said Sgt. Peterson.
Colorado Springs Police said fines for speeding double in a construction zone.
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