Join the Red Thumb Reminder Campaign! CDOT Reminds Motorists to Avoid Distracted Driving in Work Zones

June 8, 2014 - Southwestern Colorado/CDOT Region 5 - Updates and safety reminders for US 160/550 CFI Project.

DURANGO – Construction crews working on the US 160/550 CFI project this week have a constant reminder about distracted driving. In solidarity and to promote the current CDOT safety campaign, many of the workers have painted one thumbnail red – a statement for motorists to not text and drive or participate in other distracted actions such as phone calls, eating or searching for the perfect song. See CDOT’s Facebook page for photos and show your support by following these three easy steps:

1. Get a bottle of bright red nail polish, then paint your texting thumbnail;

2. Take a selfie of you and your red thumb—better yet, take a group photo with your coworkers and friends showing off your red thumbs;

3. Post your photo on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtags #redthumbreminder / #SaveCDOTcrews / #moveover.

DRIVER & WORKER SAFETY - In addition to the distracted driver reminder, CDOT also is asking travelers to keep speeds down for the safety of the workers and other motorists in the work zones. Ryan Stice, project superintendent with Concrete Works of Colorado (CWC), notes that some drivers traveling northbound on US 550 and eastbound on US 160 are not heeding the 35 mile-per-hour work zone speed limit.

“We want to express the importance of keeping speeds down when approaching the US 160/550 intersection where the majority of work is taking place,” Stice says. “To put it in teenage terms, ‘cars are coming in hot,’ and this is dangerous for everyone.”

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY - Another safety concern is the crossing at 7th Street and Camino del Rio. As part of the CFI project’s multi-modal features, a new pedestrian refuge and additional rapid flash beacons have been installed. Motorists need to be aware that when the yellow signal is flashing, a pedestrian will be crossing. Motorists should wait to proceed until the pedestrian has safely reached the pedestrian refuge.

Travel impacts for the week of June 9:

  • Roosa Avenue: Full northbound closures from to US 160 to 9thStreet from Monday, June 9, to Friday, June 13

  • US 160: Single through lane and left-turn lane closures in both direction from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekdays

  • US 160/550 Intersection: Southbound lane closures at the US 160/550 intersection from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekdays

  • College Drive/Camino del Rio Intersection: All directions of travel in this vicinity may see brief travel impacts, but no more than two directions of travel will be impacted at the same time. There will be possible SHORT TERM, intermittent, lane closures on College Drive and US 550, Monday through Thursday during non-peak travel times to finalize signal mast arm sign installation

  • No night or weekend work is expected at this time