Safety upgrades coming to the site of a fatal hit-and-run crash in El Paso County a year ago
Scott Harrison
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The efforts of a Colorado Congressman and the head of the county’s Board of Commissioners have resulted in $1 million of federal funding for the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Peterson Road.
Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colorado Springs, recently announced the allocation, citing the assistance of Commissioner Carrie Geitner.
His announcement came a year after the January 2025 hit-and-run crash at the intersection that killed Charlene McAlister, 76; she was a beloved employee at a nearby daycare center who walked the same route to work daily.
That summer, authorities arrested a suspect and charged him with leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
Crank said that the federal funding will finance numerous safety improvements relating to signal timing, street lighting, center median work, and lane adjustments.
According to county officials, the project is still under design and has no official start date.
Another project under design nearby and benefitting from federal money is scheduled to begin this summer: Replacing stormwater infrastructure along several blocks of Palmer Park Boulevard, in the Cimarron Hills neighborhood.
The funding will also pay for equipment at the county sheriff’s office and for a cybersecurity program at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS).