Community urges safer driving on Powers Boulevard after series of crashes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- On the road, it seems to be more than just bad weather putting drivers on alert, especially for those on Powers Boulevard.

KRDO13 learned of multiple car crashes on Powers on Saturday, one ending in a death. People who commute on the busy road are begging drivers to slow down, as this is becoming more common.

Locals say they're becoming increasingly concerned for their own safety every time they get behind the wheel on Powers Boulevard.

On Dec. 27, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) shut down the southbound Powers as well as both eastbound and westbound Constitution Avenue due to a rollover traffic collision.

A few hours later, police officers say they responded to another crash on Powers, this time, south of Platte Avenue. On arrival, police say they located a victim trapped in one of the involved vehicles, who was later pronounced dead. According to officers, the initial investigation revealed that an SUV was northbound, crossed the center median, and struck a southbound sedan.

"The squealing was so loud, the tires squealing, and then I could hear like banging. I thought they hit us, but like I didn't feel anything. It was just that loud it's scary to go anywhere because see all these other people who are, like, weaving in and out of cars, who are going 70 in the 55, and it's scary," says local Britnee Biza.

Biza and her fiancé witnessed the second crash on their way home from the airport. They told KRDO13 they took a different route back home because of the first crash at Powers and Constitution.

Little did they know they'd witness another crash.

"People just need to slow down. It's not just your life; somebody else could be in the middle of that. And that's like, what? I'm the most afraid of. If we were two seconds later, it could have been us in there," says local Britnee Biza.

Biza lives off Powers and says she would avoid it if she could, "at least every week there's a big accident on Powers."

Unfortunately, she says the stretch of road is almost unavoidable for her and her family.

"We really can't get anywhere in the city without going at least across powers, which is a little scary. Then I see all these other people who are, like, weaving in and out of cars, who are going 70 in the 55."

KRDO13 reached out to CSPD to ask about any specific precautions or enforcement efforts in place to address speeding or reckless driving along this stretch of road, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

The following is a response from CSPD, which was given to us after the publication of this article.

Powers Blvd is always a sort of concern for the department, as it is one of the busiest roads in the city. However, I would not say the level of concern has changed given the recent events. We always encourage people to slow down, drive the posted speed/what is appropriate for the weather conditions, and to pay attention, especially on a road like Powers where there is a lot of stop and start traffic. 

-Colorado Springs Police Department

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