Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In order to obtain or renew your Colorado Flagger certification, you must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Be 18 years of age or older,
2. Be trained by an CDOT authorized entity, and
3. Pass a closed book examination.

We have compiled and organized a list of authorized flagger training entities in a map making it easier to find training. The map is located here. You may also call 888-639-3271 to obtain a list.

The costs for flagger certification training will vary with each authorized entity. Please contact the authorized entity directly to obtain their costs for training.

You are allowed to the flagger certification from another state if your certification meets one of the following requirements:

• The state in which you obtained the flagger certification is part of the Western Association of State Highway Transportation Officials AND has not expired, or
• You hold a non-expired national certification.

However, it is highly recommended that you obtain a Colorado flagger certification.

It can take up to 45 days to review your application and provide a decision. If we need additional information, we will contact you.

Yes, all flagger certification training courses shall:

• Review the Flagger Training Manual,
• Provide practical training and practice questions,
• Present the CDOT Flagger Training Video, and 
• Administer a closed book written test.

You could download CDOT's training materials from the CDOT Flagger Program web page free of charge. Other supporting material cannot be purchased through CDOT and the costs may vary.

Examinations and certification cards will be mailed out with the approval to be an authorized flagger certification training entity. If you need additional copies of the examinations and/or certification cards, please contact us.

Colorado receives approximately $30 million each federal fiscal year under the FAST Act.

Approximately half of all crashes in Colorado occur off-system. Based on this, half of Colorado's apportionment is reserved for local agencies to use on their public roads (approximately $15 million).

The distribution is based on the proportion of crashes that have occurred in each CDOT Region. The approximate distribution is listed below:

• Region 1: 52.9%
• Region 2: 16.9%
• Region 3: 9.3%
• Region 4: 17.2%
• Region 5: 3.7%

$150,000 is the preferred minimum.  However, local agencies can package a grouping of similar low cost safety improvements (i.e. systemic improvements) into a single project that meets this threshold.  This minimum limit does not necessarily apply to non-infrastructure projects.

There is no maximum request limit, although there are limited funds and each local agency within each Region competes against each other for that funding (based on the projected benefit over cost ratio). As your request increases, the chances for being awarded those funds decreases. The benefit to cost ratio is calculated using the entire cost of the project, not just the amount requested. Given these parameters, the program would favor low cost safety improvements over more significant infrastructure projects.

Yes, just include the design cost in the application in addition to the construction costs.

The FHWA defines a Strategic Highway (Transportation) Safety Plan as a statewide-coordinated safety plan that provides a comprehensive framework for reducing fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. FHWA requires that a State identify its key safety needs and then guide investment decisions towards strategies and countermeasures with the highest potential to save lives and prevent injuries.

The STSP establishes a collaborative and shared vision and mission for transportation safety in Colorado. It relies on the premise that every agency and jurisdiction has a role in enhancing transportation safety to the benefit of our citizens and travelers for every transportation mode and facility in Colorado through policy, planning, funding, design and construction, operations, and maintenance.

The plan defines the most effective target areas and strategies. This strategic approach defines the 15 most effective strategies and accompanying actions that will actually reduce crashes and reverse Colorado’s trend of increasing fatalities—with the goal of zero deaths on the Colorado transportation system. The STSP focuses on proven countermeasures and more targeted and effective deployment, incorporates local agency safety planning and implementation (where 39% of Colorado’s fatalities occur), and reflects current innovations and technologies that are proven to reduce fatalities effectively. 

All local, state and federal agencies with funding and leadership resources. Colorado wants to be more effective in promoting safe transportation behavior and providing a safe transportation network around our state. This strategic plan and its implementation are critical to mapping out how all stakeholders in Colorado are addressing this disturbing trend in transportation. Colorado wants to ensure this is not just a “highway” safety plan given that every road, every mode, every agency and jurisdiction in Colorado has a role in transportation safety.

Outreach conducted through the Statewide Plan development process will inform the STSP. The strategic plan will review findings from Your Transportation Plan meetings and feedback related to safety and incorporate them into the final STSP. It will also review other Colorado and national safety efforts to identify best practices to develop innovative strategies while finding opportunities to collaborate with other organizations.

CDOT is going region to region across the state to engage local jurisdictions, safety officials, police and sheriff departments, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and other safety/education related entities. From these stakeholder meetings, Emphasis Area teams will be formed to develop goals and strategies that will be incorporated in the final STSP.

The Director of Traffic and Safety Engineering at CDOT.