The rural, wooded intersection of Shoup Road and Herring Road in Black Forest has not changed much from this time last year, but there are improvements to a feature one hopes drivers would notice: the stop sign, which is now outfitted with solar-powered flashing lights and a warning that “cross traffic does not stop.”

The new signage is a reminder and a lesson from a tragedy. On the night of Aug. 30, 2024, police allege Pat Harrison, 76, was speeding when he entered the intersection without obeying the stop sign. The Toyota Grand Highlander hit a Honda Accord with a 12-year-old boy in the front passenger seat. The boy later died of his injuries.

Harrison was charged in the crash earlier this month. State troopers noted in arrest documents that trees obstructed the intersection, making both drivers unable to see each other as they approached.

Charges to be filed in crash that killed 12-year-old boy in El Paso County

Now, officials are hoping small changes like those made at Shoup and Herring can prevent more accidents in unincorporated El Paso County. Inspired by the Aug. 30 crash, the county committee including the Department of Public Works has compiled a list of the most dangerous intersections and is in the process of prioritizing large and small safety improvements to be implemented by the end of 2025.

“The team jumped into action,” said interim El Paso County Public Works director Jack Ladley in a presentation on the project at a recent Board of County Commissioners informal meeting.

According to the most recent verified Colorado data, there were 210 fatal or serious injury car crashes in unincorporated El Paso County between 2018 and 2022. Of those, 83 were at intersections.

All El Paso County roads meet required safety codes, said county administrator Bret Waters. The project’s aim is to identify those that could use heightened safety features, especially intersections that have been the scene of multiple serious crashes.

The study identified 51 intersections to focus on, 32 of which are “priority 1” with recorded crashes and no current plans for improvements. The rest are “priority 2” with recorded crashes and planned or implemented safety improvements.

The list is further divided by the extent of safety improvements needed. Minglewood Trail, for example, a residential street in north El Paso County, was what Ladley referred to as “low hanging fruit” with just lane striping and the relocation of the stop sign enough to increase driver awareness.

A more complicated project may be the southeast El Paso County intersection of Horizon View Drive and Bradley Road, which requires left turners to merge from two lanes to one in the intersection and raising the risk of rear-end crashes. Another is the complicated intersection with dividing medians at Meridian Road and Flower Road in Falcon.

The safety plan for that intersection, which Commissioner Carrie Geitner called “a very sensitive subject in the community,” is still in the works.

The county has set aside $1 million from its road and bridge fund for the safety project, and other sources of funding including grants and tax revenue from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority are also being considered.

The planning and feasibility phases for the project are set for this summer.