Colorado Intersections

In Colorado, from Denver’s busy metro streets to mountain highways, collisions occur everywhere, often in predictable locations. Using CDOT data, NHTSA records, local collision dashboards, and the Police Department – City and County of Denver, we’ve highlighted the 10 most crash-prone intersections and the 10 most hazardous highway corridors across the state. This guide explains what makes each site dangerous, the types of crashes involved, and how they relate to your safety and rights after an accident.

Part 1: Colorado’s 10 Most Dangerous Intersections

1. Federal Boulevard & Alameda Avenue (Westwood)

• 2019 Crashes: 110
• Crash Types: Angle (“T-bone”) collisions, pedestrian strikes
• Hazards: A six-lane arterial meeting a two-lane cross street with minimal protected-turn phases. High vehicle speed and limited walk signals compound risk, making this crossing a persistent source of severe injury crashes.

2. Colorado Boulevard & East Colfax Avenue (Capitol Hill)

• 2021 Crashes: 44
• Crash Types: Rear-ends and right-hook pedestrian collisions
• Hazards: Urban arterials with complex signal phasing. High volume of buses, taxis, and commuters increases stop-and-go chaos; crosswalk timing struggles to protect frequent foot traffic crossing Colorado.

3. Quebec Street & East 36th Avenue (Park Hill)

• 2019 Crashes: 84
• Crash Types: Side-impact between through traffic and turning vehicles
• Hazards: A wide six-lane road, narrow or absent medians, and poor nighttime lighting contribute to the frequent occurrence of collisions. This is largely due to drivers misjudging merging gaps and making crossing turns.

4. Colorado Boulevard & Mississippi Avenue (Virginia Village)

• 2019 Crashes: 78
• Crash Types: Rear-end pile-ups and angle collisions
• Hazards: Commuters brake suddenly for less-signaled lights. Lane discipline is loose in multiple turn lanes, and shoulder configurations funnel traffic unpredictably.

5. Lincoln Street & East Colfax Avenue (Capitol Hill)

• 2019 Crashes: 77
• Crash Types: Fender-benders and pedestrian near-misses
• Hazards: Signal timing delays and vast crossing distances discourage jaywalking, but walkers often place themselves in high-speed hazard zones due to slow light changes.

6. Leetsdale Drive & Colorado Boulevard (Hilltop)

• 2019 Crashes: 70
• Crash Types: Angle collisions at skewed approach angles
• Hazards: Skewed geometry makes left-turn sightlines long and unclear, leading to side-impact crashes during rush hour at commuting intersections.

7. Havana Street & Mississippi Avenue (Dayton Triangle)

• 2021 Crashes: 30
• Crash Types: Rear-ends and sideswipes
• Hazards: Four-way crossing with fast through lanes, high-speed mainline traffic, conflicting local flows at rush times.

8. West Alameda Avenue & South Santa Fe Drive (Westwood)

• 2021 Crashes: 33
• Crash Types: Rear-ends and T-bones
• Hazards: Merging commuter routes onto the local street network triggers sudden slowing and swerving; inadequate signage amplifies confusion.

9. Park Avenue West & North Globeville Road (Globeville)

• 2021 Crash Cluster: One of Denver’s top 10 intersection hotspots
• Crash Types: Pedestrian and vehicle conflicts at off-angle approaches
• Hazards: Odd geometry, multiple crosswalks, and industrial-traffic collisions combine to create high injury risk.

10. North Tower Road & East 56th Avenue (Northeast Denver)

• 2021 Crashes: 31
• Crash Types: High-speed sideswipes and run-off-road incidents
• Hazards: Fast collector road with few divider protections and minimal spacing between access points; speed differentials cause broad encroachment and passenger-vehicle risks.

Part 2: Colorado’s 10 Most Hazardous Highway Corridors

11. Interstate 25 (“Valley Highway”, Denver Front Range)

• Colorado’s primary commuter and freight artery has the highest total crash and fatality counts statewide. Multi-vehicle pile-ups are frequent, especially during congested snow events in winter or sudden slowdowns near city entrance ramps.

12. Interstate 70 Mountain Corridor (Vail Pass, MP 182–193)

• Traveling across steep, winding grades over 10,000 feet with unpredictable weather. CDOT notes that 52% of crashes from 2021 (23 were speed-related) involved rollovers or sudden slowdown collisions.

13. U.S. Highway 36 (Denver, Boulder)

• A suburban fast commuter corridor with high merging-lane sideswipes. Official Vision Zero data designates it as a High Injury Corridor due to inadequate distance for ramp entries and following fast through lanes.

14. U.S. Highway 285 (C‑470, Bailey)

• Two-lane rural route with winding alignments and limited shoulders. Nearly 22 fatalities occurred between 2012 and 2017, mostly run-off-road incidents and crossover head-on collisions.

15. Interstate 70 (Morrison, Dumont segment)

• Combines urban congestion with mountain-grade conditions. Heavy commercial truck volume meets sudden braking events, and 15 fatalities occurred between 2012 and 2017.

16. E‑470 Tollway (Eastern Denver metro)

• A high-speed limited-access corridor with frequent merging from local spurs. Rapid growth builds stress on acceleration lanes; many drivers report sideswipe and rear-end collision issues entering or exiting.

17. C‑470 Beltway (Southwest Denver)

• A busy suburban connector with short on/off ramps and rush hour volumes. Denver Regional Council of Governments labels it a “Critical Corridor” as lane-weave and rush-hour backup collisions are recurrent.

18. State Highway 6 (Clear Creek Canyon)

• A narrow gorge route prone to blind curves and steep drops. Weather-triggered run-off-road events are common; it’s a “High Injury Network” corridor in DRCOG data.

19. Interstate 225 (Aurora segment)

• This complex interchange hub, where I‑225 meets I‑70 and Alameda, includes high-speed ramp conflicts and fast general-purpose lanes. Denver Vision Zero lists it among persistent crash hot zones.

20. State Highway 119 (Boulder Canyon)

• A two-lane highway with heavy tourist traffic toward Boulder and Eldora Mountain. CDOT flags it a severe-severity corridor due to narrow lanes, abrupt grades, and minimal barrier separation, putting drivers at fatal risk.

Why This List Matters

• Data-Driven Selection: Based on credible sources, CDOT Crash Dashboards, Denver Vision Zero, DRCOG High Injury network, and NHTSA FARS.
• Geographic, Mode, and Congestion Variability: From urban six-lane roads to high-altitude interstate grades.
• Crash Typology Insight: We identify patterns like sideswipes, pile-ups, pedestrian right-hooks, rollover vs. rear-end alarms.
• Timely Update for 2025: Includes crash data up through 2021–23, giving you the latest intersection hotspots and road fatalities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why are urban intersections risky?
   T-bone collisions and pedestrian strikes stem from complex signal setups, mismatched speed zones, and rushed turning phases. CDOT and municipal safety teams flagged these intersections due to recurring injuries.
2. Why do mountain passes like I-70 and Clear Creek Canyon rank high?
   Steep grades, weather extremes, high speeds, and heavy braking create zones where small mistakes have harsh consequences. CDOT notes that these are among the state’s most deadly rural corridors.
3. I was just a passenger, should I worry?
   Yes. Passenger injuries can still be severe. In crowded intersection crashes or highway pile-ups, liability makes a big difference for compensation eligibility.
4. What should I do if I’ve been in a crash at one of these locations?
   Collect all evidence (photos, damages, signal-cycle notes, weather conditions) and reach out. Having a trusted professional assess hazards helps you protect your rights.

How Weather Conditions Amplify Crash Risk on Colorado Roads

Colorado’s climate plays a pivotal role in its traffic safety landscape, particularly during the winter months. Icy roadways, sudden snowfall, and unpredictable storms are common, especially in higher elevation areas like the I-70 Mountain Corridor and US 285. These weather shifts reduce tire traction and visibility, often leading to rear-end collisions, slide-offs, and multi-car pile-ups. Even in urban corridors like I-25 through Denver, early morning black ice or slushy commutes can significantly raise accident risk.

In rural areas such as Boulder Canyon (SR-119) or Clear Creek Canyon (SR-6), narrow lanes and a lack of guardrails increase the consequences of a single misjudgment. Sudden wind gusts and snowfall whiteouts are known to catch drivers off guard, pushing vehicles into opposing lanes or off the road entirely.

The Colorado Department of Transportation frequently issues traction law alerts requiring drivers to use snow tires or chains. Yet many crashes occur because drivers underestimate how quickly conditions can change, especially when transitioning from city roads to mountain highways in a single trip.

Motorists are urged to monitor weather alerts closely, keep emergency gear on hand, and reduce speed drastically when snow begins to fall. In the unfortunate event of a weather-related collision, documenting the conditions (along with time, location, and roadway condition) is critical for both insurance and any legal claim that may follow.

Why Pedestrians and Cyclists Face Elevated Risk at Key Intersections

Several of the most dangerous intersections in the state, such as Colfax & Lincoln or Park Ave & Globeville, are problematic not only for cars but also pose high risks for pedestrians and cyclists. These locations attract heavy foot traffic due to their closeness to transit hubs, schools, shopping corridors, and residential neighborhoods. Unfortunately, infrastructure often lags behind demand, endangering non-motorized users.

Unmarked crosswalks, poor lighting, short signal cycles, and wide lane layouts make it difficult for pedestrians to cross safely, especially at night. Cyclists face hazards at multi-lane intersections where turn lanes, a lack of dedicated bike paths, and aggressive vehicle merging lead to frequent right-hook collisions and sideswipes.

Data from Denver’s Vision Zero program indicates that intersections like Colorado & Colfax or Quebec & 36th Avenue are not only high in vehicle crashes but also rank among the worst for pedestrian and cyclist injuries. These are often “conflict zones” where drivers are focused on finding traffic gaps rather than watching for people.

Safety improvements such as bulb-outs, pedestrian refuge islands, and advanced walk signals have been added in some areas, but many dangerous intersections remain essentially unchanged. Until infrastructure catches up, it’s crucial that both drivers and vulnerable users exercise extreme caution, and that victims know their legal rights after a collision.

What You Can Do Now

Being involved in a crash, especially in a known danger zone, can leave you feeling confused and unsure of what to do next. But you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. You might qualify for financial recovery to cover medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, or emotional stress. Let your experience guide your next step.

We connect you with experienced local attorneys who offer free case reviews to assess your crash, consider hazards like signal timing or mountain highway conditions, and help determine if you have a claim.

At Local Accident Reports, we provide up-to-date traffic accident news from across Colorado. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-657-1460. We’re always here to help.