Denver neighbors say crashes along dangerous curve getting worse

Residents in one Denver neighborhood say that, despite updates in safety, crashes along a dangerous curve have been increasing.

A little over a week after three people were killed in a single-vehicle crash near East 56th Avenue and Potomac Street, neighbors say the stretch of road remains one of the most dangerous in Montbello. They've seen multiple fatal rollovers and cars losing control on the same curve for years.

"It's dead man's curve until somebody does something about it," said longtime resident Abe Gallegos, who has lived near the roadway for decades.

Gallegos says the curve along East 56th Avenue and the road itself has been the site of repeated accidents. Several memorials now line the roadside, each one marking a different crash.

As part of the Elevate Denver bond program, the city's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure completed safety and travel improvements on the road in 2023, including the installation of a median. Neighbors say crashes have become more severe since then.

"The concern is people are going to end up dying," Gallegos said. "We're concerned that one day, a car is going to fly from that side of the road to the other."

A relative of the victims in last week's crash said speeding is a problem throughout the area and that many drivers don't realize how sharply they need to slow down. Residents who live nearby say they hear collisions happen in real time.

The speed limit on this road is 40 MPH.

"We already know what it sounds like," Gallegos said. "The first thing we do is get up in the middle of the night and make sure people are OK."

Pieces of metal and plastic from past crashes are still scattered along the median. Police told CBS Colorado that speeding is a problem along the entire length of East 56th Avenue.

Neighbors want the city to reevaluate the road design or, at a minimum, add stronger barriers, better lighting and clearer signage. Gallegos says they've contacted their city council representative but haven't heard back.

They're also asking drivers to slow down and stop racing on the road.

CBS News Colorado has reached out to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for more information on current and future safety efforts.