Colorado Springs is testing 34 temporary street-safety projects this summer

Colorado Springs is moving from the launch of Safe Streets COS into a summer rollout that will put temporary street-safety projects on city streets from June through August. The city says the work is meant to slow traffic, improve school-zone safety, and test changes before deciding whether any of them should become permanent.

That matters for commuters, parents, neighborhood residents, and business owners because the projects are expected to change how drivers move through some corridors this summer. The city is describing the effort as a citywide initiative, not a one-neighborhood pilot, and it is being tied directly to the Transportation Safety Action Plan.

What the city is trying to do

Safe Streets COS is the umbrella program for Colorado Springs’ current traffic-safety work. City officials say it combines engineering, enforcement, education, and public partnerships to address dangerous driving behaviors and improve safety on the city’s road network. Temporary safety demonstration projects are a key part of that approach.

The city says those demonstration projects are designed to test potential roadway changes before permanent construction happens. Examples include neighborhood traffic circles, speed tables, speed feedback warning signs, ring flashers for school-zone signs, and protected bike lanes.

Local reporting from KRDO and The Gazette says the city is installing 34 temporary projects this summer, with work scheduled to begin in June and continue into August. The city says the locations were selected because of crash data, high travel speeds, and resident concerns.

Why residents should pay attention

The practical impact is straightforward: drivers should expect some short-term changes in the city’s street network, especially near school areas and other places where speeding has drawn concern. The city has said the selected locations were identified through crash trends, traffic speeds, and complaints from residents.

The temporary projects are meant to help slow vehicles and create a safer environment for people walking, biking, or driving near schools and other high-activity areas. That is especially important for parents and students moving around school zones during the summer and ahead of the next school year.

The temporary work is not being presented as a final fix. Instead, the city says the point is to learn what works, gather data, and decide which measures deserve permanent investment later on.

How this fits the broader safety plan

Safe Streets COS is built around the Transportation Safety Action Plan, which the city says aims to reduce serious injury and fatal crashes in Colorado Springs by 35% by 2035, using 2023 as the baseline year. The plan is described as a citywide, data-driven strategy that looks at crash trends, high-risk corridors, and intersections where the biggest safety gains may be possible.

Colorado Springs says the summer projects are part of that longer effort, not a one-off construction season. The city is using temporary measures to test ideas, measure results, and decide where permanent changes could make the most sense.

For residents, the key takeaway is simple: watch for new traffic-calming features, school-zone adjustments, and other temporary changes around the city over the next few months. The projects are meant to be temporary, but the city’s decisions after the trial period could shape longer-term street design in Colorado Springs.

Sources

• City of Colorado Springs — Safe Streets COS
• KRDO — Colorado Springs street-safety project rollout