Plans are being made to fix a deadly road irregularity on I-225 in Aurora. Last month, city leaders urged the Colorado Department of Transportation for repairs after another young person was killed in a crash.
The irregularity is at I-225 near 2nd Avenue. There is a bump in the pavement that if hit at high speeds, can cause a vehicle to lose control.
According to Aurora Police, there have been seven fatalities there in the last nine months.
CBS News Colorado met Tracey Hulsey at her son’s memorial sign along the interstate. This week marks one year since 21-year-old Chase Hulsey crashed and died near the problem area.
APD determined he was speeding and lost control of his vehicle at the bump.
“I have not driven on 225 since this happened. I don’t want to be in the spot where he took his last breath,” said Hulsey. “He was just getting his life started. That night he picked up a passenger to cheer her up. He was always happy and a constant support for everyone.”
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His passenger suffered severe injuries but survived the crash.
Up the road, a memorial sign for another young man killed at the same location was added this week.
“I’ve been in contact with other moms who’ve lost their children here and that’s how I found out that this was an ongoing issue,” said Hulsey. “If he was speeding I wish that he would have gotten a ticket or would have lost his license. You shouldn’t have to lose your life because a government entity won’t fix road damage.”
Chase’s death was followed by several others.
Aurora city leaders have pressed CDOT to repair the road since July.
Aurora Public Works and APD met with CDOT this week to discuss interim strategies to support safe travel over the I-225/6th Avenue bump until the project is under construction.
According to the city, CDOT will be putting the bid out for construction in the fall with construction expected to begin next summer. A redesign plan is expected this summer.
APD has increased motorcycle enforcement around the area and will be continuing enforcement throughout the summer.
Signs have been installed to warn drivers of the uneven pavement. The orange signs are on both shoulders of the interstate and read “damaged road” with a 55-mph speed limit.
CDOT and the city also discussed the addition of enhanced signage in the area as well as proactive signage leading up to the area which warns drivers in advance.
In a statement to CBS News Colorado, CDOT wrote:
“CDOT takes all crashes and fatalities seriously and we are saddened by this recent incident involving young Coloradans. We always examine crash data to better understand where improvements need to be made and prioritize projects based on identified needs. We also work with our law enforcement partners to address driver behavior, because excessive speeding, careless driving, lack of seat-belt use and driving under the influence are the major causes of crashes on I-225 and roadways across the state. Regarding I-225, a design project is underway to enhance the safety of the bridges at 2nd and 6th avenues. These structures are safe to drive on as long as safe driving practices are followed which we encourage all drivers to follow.”
Hulsey wonders how many of those drivers would still be here if CDOT acted sooner.
“It’s disgusting that CDOT has known about this and has done nothing about it,” said Hulsey. “I hope that this is a big wake up call for them to actually take action and do something to fix it before somebody
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