The morning commute in Fort Collins came to an unexpected halt today when a train collided with an unoccupied vehicle on the tracks, sparking significant traffic delays across multiple roadways. According to a social media update from Fort Collins Police Services, the incident, which led to no injuries, forced the closure of N. College Ave. and disrupted the flow on streets such as Cherry St. and N. Mason St. early this morning.
After blocking N. College Ave. just north of Cherry St., the train was reported to have begun moving again as of 9:15 a.m. "The train has moved off N. College Ave. and traffic flow has been restored in both directions," per the Fort Collins Police Services, but the situation on Mason St. from Cherry St. to Laurel St. remained congested roads crossing Mason St. are open but backed up, between Cherry St. and Laurel St. including Mulberry St. At 9:30 a.m., authorities advised that while congestion was clearing, recommending alternate routes such as Prospect Rd. or Willox Ln. for east-west travel was still prudent to avoid backups.
The unexpected blockage initially prompted an urgent traffic alert at 8 a.m. from the city's authorities, advising commuters to seek alternative routes and follow detour instructions from on-scene personnel. Luckily, despite the potential for serious consequences, there were no injuries reported from the scene of the collision.
