Commissioners press CDOT to speed safety work on Billy Creek Narrows; agree to draft board letter

Commissioner Michelle Nauer told the Board that she had requested a speed-and-safety assessment from the Colorado Department of Transportation for the Billy Creek Narrows area of U.S. Highway 550, where multiple recent accidents, including two head-on collisions, have heightened concern. CDOT's regional staff told the county the speed assessment would be completed by mid-October and that shoulder work for the corridor appears in regional planning documents, with construction engineering potentially beginning in 2027.

Commissioners said the recurring accidents warrant stronger county engagement with CDOT. Commissioner Lynn Padgett recommended the board draft a formal letter asking CDOT to prioritize safety improvements and to present to the board in person. Commissioners asked staff to draft a letter asking CDOT to meet and to consider near-term mitigations while the larger engineering project proceeds through the regional planning cycle.

Staff noted CDOT will present an annual report in October and that the board could request a substantive safety briefing and a public meeting. Commissioners also discussed possible public-safety campaigns and short-term solutions such as advisory signage or temporary measures while engineering plans move through approval and funding cycles.