Dive brief:
- A higher-than-normal death toll in Colorado road work zones has led state officials to contact the US DOT.
- As of Nov. 13, the state had recorded 28 work zone crash fatalities so far in 2024, up 75 percent from 2023 and more than the totals for the previous two years combined. according to Colorado DOT data obtained by Denver 7.
- Colorado Reps. Greg Lopez, Lauren Boebert and Doug Lamborn wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg questioning how the agency investigates state DOTs and what oversight the federal government has, according to Denver 7. Missouri Rep. Sam Graves and Texas Representative Jodey Arrington also signed the letter.
Diving knowledge:
The letter also claims an unnamed contractor met with members of Congress and the Colorado General Assembly. During the meeting, the contractor shared the safety plan and documents from the Colorado DOT, indicating that the agency withheld traffic flow plans from the contractors, initiated new road work zones without the signature of the professional engineers of the on-site design and used safety equipment inappropriately.
Lawmakers gave the federal DOT and Buttigieg until Nov. 22 to respond.
Colorado Construction Zone Related Accidents
| year | Total causes | Fatalities | seriously injured |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,957 | 11 | 51 |
| 2022 | 1,696 | 10 | 55 |
| 2023 | 1,878 | 16 | 63 |
| 2024 | 1,232 | 28 | 38 |
SOURCE: Colorado DOT data as of November 13.
In a statement, Colorado DOT said it shared its concern about the fatality data, “which unfortunately, but not surprisingly, correlates with a record construction period.”
“Work zones are inherently located in areas surrounded by live traffic and present safety challenges that demand constant attention and care from government and industry alike,” read the agency’s statement shared with Construction Dive.
Additionally, referring to specific accidents highlighted by state officials, Colorado DOT stated that the construction plans were designed in accordance with state and federal guidelines and an after-action review confirmed that the area of work in question was successfully implemented.
With just under 50 days left in the year, the most recent data from Colorado has recorded about 600 fewer accidents and 25 fewer injuries in work zones than in 2023.
road safety
The call to action by Colorado politicians comes just over a week after the Federal Highway Administration announced first update of road work zone safety rules in 20 years
Under the change, effective Dec. 2, DOTs must, at a minimum, use positive protective devices such as concrete barriers in work zones:
- With expected high speeds (45 mph or more) or high volumes of traffic.
- Where workers have no direct means of escaping motorized traffic.
- Where workers will face substantial exposure to motorized traffic (a work zone existing for two weeks or more).
The FHWA will also require State DOTs to conduct a programmatic work zone review every five years. The review must include a representative sample of the state’s significant work areas during the time period.
The rule is designed to protect workers and motorists alike. Although road workers often face dangers, collisions often kill vehicle occupants. Four out of five work zone fatalities involved drivers or their passengers, according to FHWA data.
