The Colorado Department of Transportation hosted a day of remembrance Monday for workers who lost their lives while working on Colorado’s roads.
The event, according to a Monday news release, brought together friends, families and fellow CDOT employees of 64 workers who died while on the job since 1929.
Sixty-four orange cones, draped with high-visibility vests and hard hats, lined the lawn bordering north Main Avenue in front of the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Each represented a fallen road worker and was meant to draw attention to the dangerous nature of working alongside busy roads.
“We come together to honor the sacrifices made by those who work alongside our busy roads, pay our respects to those whose lives were taken all too soon and recognize that everyone plays a role in protecting vulnerable highway workers and making our roads safe,” Transportation Director Julie Constan said in the release.
The event was also meant to kick off CDOT’s “safe actions save lives” campaign.
“Work zones are critical to maintain and improve Colorado’s transportation system, but they can also be high-risk environments for both workers and drivers,” a release said. “In 2025, there were nine fatalities and 548 injuries in Colorado construction and maintenance work zones.”
Speeding through work zones is the leading cause of work zone accidents. Additionally, four out of five work zone fatalities are drivers and passengers, the release said.
“The dangers of speeding are amplified in work zones, where narrow lanes, sudden stops and shifting traffic patterns leave workers with little margin for error,” the release said.
The release advised drivers to stay patient, obey posted speed limits, stay alert, watch for workers, not change lanes unnecessarily and avoid using phones while driving.
Additionally, turning on a vehicle’s headlights to increase visibility, expecting traffic delays and providing ample space between cars are ways drivers can increase their margin for error.
A CDOT spokesperson was not immediately available to comment Tuesday.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
