HPTE launches safety campaign about driving in the Express Lanes
“Fast. Not furious.” is one of the taglines of the High Performance Transportation Enterprise’s (HPTE) new education campaign. The campaign launched this week and is focused on safety while driving in the Express Lanes.
Through digital ads, billboards, bus and radio ads, HPTE communicates the basic rules of staying safe on the roadway and in the Express Lanes, such as no speeding, no weaving in and out of the Express Lanes, no using the Express Lane as a passing lane, and entering the Express Lanes at the designated locations.
“We want all drivers to be safe on the roadway,” said HPTE Director Nick Farber. “Weaving in and out of the Express Lane, or using the Express Lane as a passing lane is just not worth it. While weaving in and out, drivers cross the solid white lines, which violates traffic rules. Express Lanes should be entered and exited in areas marked with dashed white lines. Express Lanes are there to give drivers an option of a reliable travel time, but safety should come first.”
“Some basic rules around being safe while driving in the Express Lanes are no speeding, no weaving in and out and no crossing the double white lines. We will be out there enforcing these rules,” said CSP Sergeant Blake White. “The speed limit posted for a particular section of the highway applies to the Express Lanes as well.”
“Our number one priority is safety, and this campaign reminds drivers in all lanes that they need to observe safety and speed rules for everyone's benefit,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “Express lane drivers, like all drivers, need to ensure they are following speed limits and other rules of the road. We want everyone to get where they are going safely.”
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. For more information, visit expresslanes.codot.gov.
About CDOT
CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located at its Denver headquarters and in regional offices throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.
WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.
To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.
