Colorado Springs Road Safety: Your Last Chance to Comment by April 2
The City of Colorado Springs has officially released the draft of its Safety Action Plan (COSSAP), marking a significant step toward addressing the rising concerns of traffic violence on our streets. For those of us who navigate the city by bike or on foot, this document represents a long-awaited shift in how our infrastructure is evaluated and designed.
Public comment closes April 2. We need your voice to tell the city that while these engineering changes are a great start, we want a bolder commitment to a future with zero traffic fatalities.
There is much to celebrate
The plan proposes several high-impact improvements that align with the People-Centered city we strive to become:
- Level of Service of Safety (LOSS) Analysis: For years, “Level of Service” only measured how fast we could move cars. This plan introduces LOSS, a sophisticated data model that categorizes road segments (from LOSS I to IV) based on crash frequency and severity. This allows the city to move beyond reacting to crashes and start proactively fixing roads with the highest potential for safety improvement.
- Data-Driven Focus on the High-Injury Network (HIN): The plan identifies specific corridors where a disproportionate number of serious crashes occur. By focusing resources on these “hot spots,” the city can prioritize safety where it is needed most.
- Proactive Engineering Strategies: We are encouraged to see modern safety tools like “daylighting”, improving visibility at intersections, and recommendations for adjusted lane widths to naturally encourage safer driving speeds.
- A Shift Toward Multimodal Priority: The draft suggests moving toward “Mobility Studies” rather than traditional traffic studies. This means evaluating a street based on the safety and access of pedestrians and cyclists, rather than just the volume and speed of cars.
See the Data for Yourself: The city’s strategy is backed by sobering data. Explore the Colorado Springs Traffic Crash Dashboard to see exactly where and how crashes are occurring across our community.
Room for Improvement: The Case for Vision Zero
Even with this progress, the plan falls short in its ultimate ambition. While the draft outlines a strategy for improvement, it only sets a target of a 35% reduction over 10 years. Furthermore, the document is not framed as a Vision Zero plan, the international standard for ending traffic deaths.
This is a notable gap. The plan itself states, “City leadership is fully committed to eliminating fatalities,” yet the target doesn’t reflect that. We need to be bold: no deaths on our roadways are acceptable.
City leadership is fully committed to eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways. This Safety Action Plan reflects that commitment and serves as a unifying strategy across departments. The Mayor’s Office and departmental leaders have all supported the development of this Safety Action Plan and recognize the importance of creating a transportation system that works for everyone.
Colorado Springs Safety Action Plan Draft
Our neighbors to the south are already leading the way. On March 17, 2026, the Fountain City Council voted unanimously to adopt a formal Vision Zero plan. If Fountain can commit to the highest standard of road safety, Colorado Springs should be leading the way right alongside them.
Putting Plans into Action: The Project List
This isn’t just about policy; the Draft Appendices provide the “where” and “how” through a detailed project list. These dozens of projects are prioritized based on safety criteria and the High Risk Network, aiming to transform our most dangerous corridors into streets that prioritize human life over vehicle throughput.
Take Action by April 2
This draft is a strong foundation, but it’s up to us to help the city cross the finish line with a plan that truly values every life.
- Review the Plan: olsson.konveio.com/cossapdraft
- Review the Project List: olsson.konveio.com/cossapdraftappendices
- Submit Your Comments: Click directly on the documents via the links above to share your thoughts. Tell them you support the engineering but want a Vision Zero goal.
