COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Two fatal accidents within three days on Union Boulevard prompted Colorado Springs to take swift action, installing safety barriers to prevent dangerous left-hand turns that claimed two lives in August.
On August 9, a driver was killed making a left-hand turn onto Union Boulevard from Garmish Street. Just three days later, another fatal accident occurred involving the same turn.
The intersection's design created significant safety challenges for drivers. Windy bends and limited sightlines made it difficult for motorists to see oncoming traffic when attempting left turns into six lanes of fast-moving vehicles.
"Any time someone loses their life, it's impactful," said Kelli Boesel, who commutes on Union Boulevard daily.
Boesel noted the speed concerns in the area, saying drivers commonly exceed the limit.
"I do think that it's pretty common that people at least go 5, if not 10 over," Boesel said. "Coming out of our parking lot, like you can see cars going pretty fast."
The city responded by installing delineators across the median to block the dangerous left turn from Garmish onto Union Boulevard in October.
Todd Frisbie, the city's traffic engineer, explained the decision in a statement.
"We noticed a recent pattern of left-turn crashes. We also know that full movement stop-controlled intersections can have safety issues. Residents on Garnish have additional access to Union via Vickers," Frisbie said.
Boesel praised the city's quick response to the safety concerns.
"We would hope that we wouldn’t have to lose any lives for that to happen. I do think that the action was quick, and I think it was the right action to do," Boesel said.
The city says it will gather more data to determine if this temporary change will become permanent.
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