Drivers rolling through downtown Denver on Wednesday evening were met with a jarring sight at Park Avenue West and Wazee Street: a traffic signal reportedly pointing the wrong way. The misaligned signal head created a hazardous mismatch, with motorists on Park Avenue seeing a green light when their direction should have been red, a setup that could have sent conflicting streams of traffic into the intersection.
City officials urged drivers to slow down and be ready to stop while crews worked to straighten things out, a temporary fix to keep a busy corridor from turning into a fender-bender factory.
In a post shared by the Denver Police Department, callers were instructed to dial 311 to reach the city’s Department of Transportation & Infrastructure, with the note that DOTI would “dispatch a tech to fix it.” The department also reminded residents that if the situation rises to the level of an emergency, they should call or text 911 instead. The alert from the police is embedded below.
How To Report A Malfunctioning Traffic Signal
During business hours the city’s Department of Transportation & Infrastructure asks residents to report signal and sign issues through 311 so the problems can be logged and tracked, according to Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure. Using 311 or DOTI’s online reporting tools creates a ticket, which lets the city schedule a technician to head to the exact location and verify that the fix is complete.
Why Park Avenue Signals Have Seen Recent Work
Park Avenue West has already been on the city’s radar for construction and repairs. Bridge and roadway rehabilitation in recent years included traffic signal replacements at Wazee and Delgany streets, as well as periodic lane closures, as reported by Denver7. That history does not prove that the current signal problem was caused by the earlier work, but it does help explain why signals along this stretch have been getting periodic attention.
If You Encounter A Hazard
If a misaligned signal leads to a crash or creates an immediate safety risk, authorities say you should call or text 911 right away. According to the Denver Police Department contact page, non-emergency situations can be reported by calling (720) 913-2000, while repairs to traffic signals are handled by DOTI through the 311 system during business hours.
