Southbound Interstate 25 turned into a parking lot early Monday after a two-vehicle crash in a construction zone north of Denver left one person dead and wrecked the morning drive for countless commuters. The collision happened near Mead just before 6 a.m., and troopers warned drivers to brace for an extended shutdown as emergency crews and investigators took over the highway and traffic stacked up for miles.
According to the Denver Gazette, the crash occurred around 5:55 a.m. when a Ford Super Duty pickup collided with a work van in the I-25 construction area. The pickup rolled over, and the male driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The Weld County Coroner will identify the man after next-of-kin notification, and the van driver did not report any injuries, the outlet reported.
Traffic closures and detours
The Colorado State Patrol warned motorists to expect an “extended closure” at milepost 243 approaching the Longmont/Lyons exit while investigators worked the scene, according to Denver7. The Colorado Department of Transportation said southbound lanes were shut between State Highway 66 and Highway 119 and advised drivers to bail out to side roads, then reconnect with I-25 at either 66 or 119.
Work-zone context
The crash happened inside the I-25 North Express Lanes work zone north of Longmont, an area where the Colorado Department of Transportation began issuing automated speed-enforcement warnings on March 1 to curb speeding in active construction corridors. The enforcement rollout uses cameras through the corridor to improve safety during the express-lanes project, according to CDOT. CDOT has said the program is aimed at lowering speeds in the work zone.
Investigation underway
State troopers say the CSP Vehicular Crimes Unit is investigating the cause of the collision and has not released details about whether impairment or speed were factors, KKTV reported. Troopers also noted that the work van driver did not report any injuries.
By mid-morning, CDOT had opened the right shoulder to let traffic creep past the scene while investigators wrapped up, but officials offered no timeline for when all southbound lanes would fully reopen, according to CBS Colorado. Southbound drivers were urged to exit at Weld County Road 34 (Exit 245) and use alternate local routes.
Authorities are asking anyone with dashcam video or other information to contact the Colorado State Patrol. The Weld County Coroner's Office will release the driver's identity after notifying family, per the Denver Gazette.
