The Colorado Department of Transportation announced on Apr. 20 that it will begin upgrading traffic signals at multiple intersections in Colorado Springs and Pueblo starting the first week of May. The project, carried out with Morton Electric, will focus on installing backplates to improve visibility at signals along highways including Interstate 25, US Highway 50A and 50B, US 85, Colorado Highway 16, CO 21, CO 45, and CO 96.
The upgrades are intended to enhance driver safety by making signal lights more visible through higher contrast around the signal heads. The department said these improvements reduce sun glare and help drivers recognize signals from a greater distance, allowing for better reaction times.
Work is scheduled to begin in Pueblo on CO 45 before moving through other intersections. Crews expect to complete four signals per week with an anticipated finish date in mid-August. Each intersection will have specific work hours based on local traffic patterns; however, general operations are planned between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., with limited impacts expected such as shoulder closures or alternating single lane closures.
According to the official website, the Colorado Department of Transportation works to improve quality of life for residents through integrated transportation solutions. The agency also aims to deliver an effective multi-modal transportation system that safely moves people and goods while supporting environmental standards according to its website.
Shoshana Lew serves as executive director for the department as indicated by its official site. The department oversees transportation infrastructure across Colorado according to its website, building and maintaining interstates as well as state highways while administering grants for aviation and transit projects according to its official information. The agency operates within the transportation sector focusing on highway maintenance along with support for aviation and transit initiatives as per its website.
The project includes new signal backplates at a total of twenty-four locations in Colorado Springs and twenty-seven locations in Pueblo.
