Aurora makes road repairs after deadly crash involving pedestrian

There has been no shortage of tragedy on Aurora's roads recently. The latest devastating crash in the Colorado city was on Tuesday morning and involved a 72-year-old woman who was crossing Jewell Avenue with a walker.

 According to police, she wasn't using the crosswalk. Her walker hit a hole in the pavement, she fell and a truck turning onto Havana Street struck her. She died at the scene. The driver is cooperating with the investigation.

That intersection is an area longtime business owners say has seen far too many close calls.

Scott Davenport owns the Heirloom Antique Mall at the corner.

"I was coming in to open and I saw the police presence," Davenport said. "There's been a lot of pedestrian and vehicle accidents at that intersection."

The night before the crash, city leaders were already discussing road safety at a council meeting. Councilmember Stephanie Hancock, who chairs Aurora's Transportation Committee, spoke about ongoing conversations with the National Transportation Safety Board.

"A few months ago, the chair of the NTSB came to Aurora for a transportation summit," Hancock said. "One of the things he talked about was car-pedestrian fatalities and how dangerous roads can be for everyone."

She said Aurora is now working to incorporate more of the NTSB's recommendations, with a particular focus on curbing distracted driving and reducing speed.

"When you're driving a 5,000-pound bomb, that's really not the time to be multitasking," she said.

Following Tuesday's fatal incident, the city acted swiftly. Aurora Public Works crews were dispatched to inspect the intersection and repair any potholes.

 In a statement, the city's spokesperson said:

"Immediately after this morning's tragic incident, Aurora Public Works dispatched crews to inspect the roadway and repair any potholes that were present on Jewell Avenue near the intersection of South Havana Street. Specifics about the condition of the roadway, including the number, location, and nature of any potholes found, are not available at this time."

Davenport, who has been vocal about safety issues on Havana for years, said he appreciated the quick response.

"It's terrible, any loss of life, for whatever reason, is terrible," Davenport said.

If you notice potholes or other safety concerns on Aurora's roads, the city wants to hear from you. You can report problems in the following ways:

1. Submit a ticket through Access Aurora
2. Email: publicworks@auroragov.org
3. Call the Aurora Public Works Department: 303-739-7300

As Tuesday's response shows, the city says it's ready to take action when problems are flagged.

The investigation into the deadly crash remains ongoing.