Colorado State Patrol Reports Improved Safety on US 36 Express Lanes Corridor
The Colorado State Patrol (CSP), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) and Plenary Roads Denver (PRD) today announced that the US 36 Express Lanes corridor had 33 percent fewer crashes and fewer traffic violations since this summer.
“The Colorado State Patrol and our partners have worked hard to have a positive impact on crashes along this corridor, and to remind drivers to be safe and follow traffic laws,” said CSP Capt. Matthew Secor. “Our goal is to help create a safe driving environment and reduce unsafe driving behaviors as traffic volumes increase.”
CSP reports vehicle crashes dropped 33 percent compared to an average of 125 crashes in 2014, 2015 and 2016 during July through December. There were 84 crashes in the same period in 2017. Since July 2017, there has also been a downward trend in the number of Express Lane violations, with a high of 459 violations in July, and a low of 219 in December.
Violations include failure to pay tolls and careless or reckless driving, which includes weaving in and out of the Express Lanes and crossing the solid lines. Fines can range from $150 to $1,000 and points off a driver's license.
Increased safety enforcement along the US 36 Express Lane corridor began July 2017. In addition to enforcement, a wider roadway design and ongoing maintenance have contributed to increased travel times and overall safety of the road. The partnership between PRD, the private concessionaire managing the US 36 Express Lanes, and the CSP, calls for troopers to provide increased Express Lane law enforcement patrolling services. CSP is one of six law enforcement agencies patrolling this section of US 36 Express Lanes.
"We are encouraged by the drop in crashes and violations, and we plan to continue working with CSP to improve safety through visual deterrents and increased enforcement," said Christian Guevara, PRD's operations manager.
The US 36 Express Lanes public-private partnership allows for greater private sector participation in the delivery, financing and maintenance of the US 36 Express Lanes project, and provides efficient and multiple travel options to the thousands of people who rely on the US 36 corridor every day. Commuters can ride the bus, carpool, pay a toll, bike or use the existing free, general purpose lanes. By offering these great choices, the US 36 Express Lanes minimize congestion, reduce delays and keep travel time in the Express Lanes reliable.
About Plenary Roads Denver: Plenary Roads Denver (PRD) is a Denver-based consortium of industry leading firms established to efficiently deliver improvements to the US 36 corridor. By creating a team of experts from each part of the infrastructure industry, PRD is able to ensure an integrated roadway, bus rapid transit system and bikeway that serve the needs of all residents. PRD’s team consists of Ames Construction, Granite Construction, HDR and Broadspectrum, and is led by Plenary Group, a long-term investor, developer and operator of public infrastructure projects in the United States and Canada. Plenary’s U.S. headquarters is located in Los Angeles. It has additional offices in Denver and Tampa, Fla.
About the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE): The HPTE operates as a government-owned, independent business within CDOT. It searches out innovative ways to finance projects to help Colorado fulfill its commitment to increase travel choices through options that include Express Lanes, transit, biking, walking and carpooling. For more information, visit www.coloradohpte.com.
About Express Lanes: Express Lanes increase roadway capacity and help to manage congestion on the highways. The use of toll pricing during peak travel times reduces delays, manages congestion and maintains reliable travel times. Express Lanes are currently open on I-25 between downtown Denver and 120th Avenue, US 36 between Denver and Boulder, and on I-70 between Idaho Springs and Empire. Learn more at www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes.
For more information about CDOT and CSP, visit www.codot.gov or www.coloradostatepatrol.com.
