More cable guardrails to be installed on Interstate 25 near Fountain
The Colorado Department of Transportation said Tuesday that it will improve traffic safety by installing cable guardrails in the median of I-25, south of Fountain.
CDOT spent $1.6 million to install similar guardrails on both sides of the median near Fountain within the past two years and said there have been no fatal crashes in those areas since then.
“The data CDOT looked at for doing these projects was from 2010 to 2014,” said Michelle Peulen, an agency representative. “There were 52 injury-related crashes, as well as five fatalities.”
Peulen said that, in medians with steep slopes, the cable rails are more effective than traditional rails in keeping vehicles from rolling over, ejecting drivers or passengers, and crossing into opposite lanes of traffic.
“With a traditional guardrail, a vehicle sort of bounces off it and can end up back in traffic,” she said. “A cable guardrail absorbs more of the impact. They’re also cheaper to repair and maintain. Drivers are still hitting the cable guardrails but the number of serious crashes are way down.”
The current project, which started a few weeks ago, and will flatten the median before placing a cable rail in the middle of a 5-mile stretch from the Ray Nixon Power Plant exit to just south of the Pikes Peak International Raceway exit.
The project will cost $2.1 million and take several months to complete. Most of the work will be done at night.
Last year, CDOT installed 1.5 miles of cable guardrail along Highway 115 southwest of Colorado Springs.
Drivers have mixed feelings about the devices.
“If you’re going fast enough, you’ll go right through it and sometimes it’ll rip right through your vehicle,” said Collin Kellett. “I’ve seen it happen.
“We’ve had a lot of accidents down here, and I think they’re going to save a lot of lives,” said Nancy Gurley.
“I don’t see the value in putting that up there and really trying to force (drivers) into two lanes and not really giving people the wiggle room they need,” said Dave Kinnischtzke.
CDOT eventually wants to have some type of guardrail along the entire distance, which is around 40 miles, between Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
“The only exception would be where the median is wide and gives drivers plenty of room to maneuver,” Peulen said.
Nearly 40,000 drivers travel through the area daily, according to CDOT.
