14th Avenue residents concerned for safety after another serious crash
DENVER (KDVR) — After dozens of crashes over the years, residents along 13th and 14th avenues in Denver are concerned after yet another serious crash near their homes.
The Denver Police Department said that around 6 p.m. on Sunday, the driver of a Ford Explorer tried to make an illegal left turn from the right lane of 13th Avenue onto Elm Street. In doing so, he hit another driver, who overturned and suffered serious injuries.
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Ali Hayes lives across the street and heard the crash. Her husband rushed outside to help.
“We looked back and saw and heard the car flip over. It was really scary. Just yet another accident,” Hayes said. “My husband, since we’ve been through a couple of them now, kind of has his idea of going downstairs to get a T-shirt just to make sure if there is anything he can do, blood, otherwise. e jumped in the car to try and help the gentleman, who unfortunately was stuck.”
Paramedics extricated the man and got him to the hospital. He is expected to be OK, but residents said this crash again highlights the larger safety issues along 13th and 14th avenues.
“We don’t want to see these accidents anymore either, and people getting hurt. The signage needs to be better, and speed limits need to slow down and more stop signs are needed, and so hopefully change will happen,” Hayes said.
Last year, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure implemented changes at 21 intersections along 13th and 14th between Broadway and Yosemite Street. But residents say they have not seen the changes needed to feel safe after years of crashes.
‘I don’t really feel safe out here’
Heather Ehlers, another resident along 13th, has spoken with FOX31 multiple times about her concerns and did again on Tuesday after this latest crash.
“It’s upsetting. Especially with three little ones, I want to make sure they’re safe and that they can play in the yard, ride their bike on the sidewalk and not worry about that, but I don’t really feel safe out here,” Ehlers said.
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She has spoken to the city, including at meetings held about these crashes, but she feels her concerns are falling on deaf ears.
“It is going to take something horrific happening, deaths, multiples, something like that for someone to be like, OK, this is an issue, we need to fix this,” Ehlers said.
The city said they are conducting safety studies on 13th and 14th and analyzing crash data, traffic speed data and community input to develop recommendations for reducing these kinds of crashes.
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