Safety Upgrades Coming to Deadly US 287 Corridor North of Fort Collins

The Colorado Department of Transportation is moving forward with safety upgrades on US 287 between Bonner Springs Ranch Road and the Wyoming border, a rural two-lane stretch used daily by Fort Collins commuters, truckers, and CSU-bound travelers.

The improvements respond to a 2017–2021 safety assessment that documented 309 crashes—including 12 fatalities—on the full Ted's Place-to-Wyoming corridor.

Following completion of the 2017–2021 US 287 Safety Assessment Study, CDOT is proceeding with design and construction between Mile Points 362 and 385, according to Larimer County Engineering. "This project focuses on intersection safety, passing lanes, shoulder widening, and wildlife collision mitigation," the county stated in a January 27 announcement.

The project segment accounts for the majority of crashes on the corridor. Between 2017–2021, the MP 362–385 reach saw 239 crashes—77 percent of the corridor's five-year crash total.

Seven of those 239 crashes were fatal, resulting in 12 deaths.

One high-crash zone between MP 378.5–383.5 saw 85 crashes in five years, including 26 injury crashes affecting 37 people and one crash that resulted in 2 fatalities.

The intersection of Owl Canyon and County Road 72 at MP 363.23 experienced six crashes during 2017–2021, including four injury crashes and one fatal crash. CDOT rated it as the lowest safety level and recommended turn lanes and advanced warning signs.

The study found that passing lanes, widened shoulders, and improved turn movements at key intersections could reduce serious crashes in high-risk segments.

Wildlife mitigation is prioritized for the MP 378–383 zone, which the study ranked as the top priority for fencing and crossing structures. For more details, contact Rusty McDaniel at Larimer County Engineering, (970) 498-5730, or CDOT Region 4.