After a staggering 31 lives were lost in work zones across Colorado last year, transportation officials are saying enough is enough. A new automated speed enforcement system is rolling out on state highways, beginning with Colorado 1-19, aiming to catch dangerous drivers in the act—and slow them down before it’s too late.
It won’t be ticket-heavy right away. For now, it’s all about getting drivers used to being watched.
2024 Was a Brutal Year on Colorado Roads
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), 2024 saw nearly 600 work zone crashes, resulting in 31 deaths—a record no one wanted to break.
Those fatalities weren’t just numbers. They were construction workers, drivers, flaggers, and sometimes innocent bystanders hit while heading to work or school.
CDOT spokesperson Stacia Sellers didn’t mince words.
“Work zones can be unpredictable at times,” she said. “You can drive through it one day and the next day it’s in a new configuration. If you are speeding, it can make conditions more dangerous.”
She’s not wrong. Lane shifts. Heavy equipment. Confused detours.
Speed just multiplies the risk.
Two Cameras, One Job: Catch the Speeders
The system is simple. Two speed cameras are installed at different points inside a designated work zone. When a vehicle passes the first, it’s time-stamped. When it passes the second, it’s time-stamped again.
Then it’s just math.
If the average speed between the cameras is more than 10 miles per hour over the posted limit, the system flags the vehicle for enforcement.
It’s not about snapshots. It’s about speed over distance. And that matters, says CDOT, because it stops people from slamming the brakes only when they see a camera.
Cameras Already in Place, But Fines Come Later
CDOT has already installed the cameras on Highway 1-19, one of the more active work zones in the state. But enforcement won’t begin until fall of 2025.
That gives drivers a little time to adjust.
“We do anticipate issuing warnings at the end of July,” Sellers explained, “and then in the fall of this year, we’ll be issuing civil penalties for speeding in those work zones.”
The penalty? A $75 fine. Not outrageous, but enough to sting.
Work Zones: Still One of the Most Dangerous Places to Be
While most people assume road construction danger applies only to the workers, drivers aren’t immune.
Data from CDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shows the majority of people killed in work zone crashes are actually motorists.
Here’s a quick breakdown from last year’s CDOT reports:
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31 total fatalities
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18 were drivers or passengers
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7 were construction or utility workers
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6 were pedestrians or cyclists near active zones
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596 work zone crashes statewide
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82 crashes involved speeding as a primary factor
And those are just reported incidents.
Table: 2024 Colorado Work Zone Fatalities by Region
| Region | Fatalities | Crashes | Major Highway Involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Metro | 10 | 190 | I-25, I-70 |
| Western Slope | 5 | 87 | US-50, CO-141 |
| Northern Colorado | 6 | 105 | US-34, I-25 |
| Southern Colorado | 3 | 64 | CO-115, I-25 |
| Eastern Plains | 7 | 150 | US-287, US-40 |
The fatalities weren’t just concentrated in the metro area. They were everywhere—from rural passes to busy four-lane freeways.
Reaction From Drivers? Mixed, But Mostly Quiet (For Now)
You’d expect more pushback. But surprisingly, public reaction has been muted.
“I mean, if it keeps people from plowing through cones at 70, good,” said Amanda Ellis, who commutes daily between Delta and Montrose. “I’ve seen too many close calls.”
Others worry it’s just another form of surveillance.
“Look, I’m not against safety,” said a driver near the 1-19 site, “but how long before they start ticketing you for three miles over or using your phone? Slippery slope.”
Still, $75 is a small price to pay for safety, CDOT says—and far less than the cost of an ambulance ride.
Why CDOT Thinks This Will Work
The agency isn’t making this move blindly. Sellers said CDOT has looked closely at enforcement models in Maryland, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, all of which reported lower crash and fatality rates after implementing similar tech.
They also see this as just the beginning.
“This is a safety-first approach,” she said. “Not a punishment program.”
And it’s likely more locations will see cameras in 2026.
