Pueblo County family still advocating for a stoplight, but CDOT says they’re moving forward with their other plan instead

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo (KRDO)--Tuesday, the Colorado Department of Transportation (C-DOT) hosted an open forum at Vineland Middle School to discuss their plans for the intersection of Highway 50 and 36th Ln.

The family of those who died in a car crash last February have been advocating for a stoplight from the very beginning at the intersection of Highway 50 and 36th Ln.

Last year, Trenton and Mckenzie Frazier, and their great-grandmother Ada Frazier were killed when they were hit by a truck as Ada Frazier attempted to make a turn on U.S. 50 at 36th Lane, near the Pueblo Airport.

However, C-DOT's said their study does not warrant a stoplight.They said stoplights solve quite a few problems but they also increase rear end accidents. Instead, they plan on installing an intersection conflict warning system at the deadly intersection instead.

The new system would blink and tell drivers when another car is waiting at the intersection.

"Our intersection conflict warning system will also reduce single accidents while not increasing rear end accidents," said Jason Nelson, Traffic Program Engineer for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

According to C-DOT, the meeting Tuesday was for educational purposes only. It was not a meeting where it was intended to get recommendations from the public. However, they said they're open and willing to speak with any community member about their concerns.

Still, that did not stop the a Pueblo County family from gathering and holding a meeting in another room at the school highlighting their concerns about C-DOTS plans.

"It's not going to bring back Trenton and Mckenzie and grandma, but it's going to save lives," said Rachel Frasier, who lost his daughter, son and grandma in the February crash.

Despite everything the family said they will continue to advocate for a stoplight and continue to hold on to a promise they made to their kid.

"i made a promise to my daughter that we get a stoplight there one way or the other," Chris Roberts, Chris Roberts, who lost his daughter Mckenzie in the crash.

Pueblo County Commissioner, Eppie Griego, said he's working with state leaders on drafting a letter to C-DOT to reconsider installing a stoplight at that intersection.

"It'd be nice if they had a stoplight there," said Griego.

However, C-DOT said they plan to have this new warning system installed at the intersection by the end of the year.