Unfortunately, terbear, unless the 285Tourism Committee can
get something happening
with our county, state, and federal representatives on this issue that we started talking to them about last year, or we can raise public outrage to the point that there's political pressure like what happened at Shaffer's Crossing, CDOT has
no plans to spend any money completing any of the projects they've already created on paper for improving the safety of Hwy 285, including a flyover entrance ramp for those getting onto NB 285 from Kings Valley. CDOT is estimating it will be 20 years before they have funds to take care of 285; that is unacceptable to us so we've started a process to determine what we can do to make it happen sooner.
An update on this accident: A friend of mine witnessed it as it happened and stopped to help before Elk Creek even made it there. She sat with the wife and while her fiance tried to help the husband. He died in his arms and ECFPD was unable to revive him due to his extensive injuries despite their best efforts. It was friends of mine on that crew that responded, they could use your thoughts and support too. The driver of the car was apparently young and per my friend didn't do anything stupid, wasn't driving like a speeding idiot, it was just a tragic accident. He was really shaken up too, he immediately stopped and tried to help the husband as well.
The couple's son contacted my friend later yesterday to express his thanks. I asked her to let me know if the family needs anything; I'll post here if so. The wife suffered head injuries and broken ribs and is recovering in the hospital.
Something troubling that my friend who stopped, and my friends at Elk Creek Fire, mentioned that they noticed and were very upset by (you could even say highly pissed off) was there were a lot of people who, as they were driving by, took pictures of the body/crime scene. One such picture of the husband's body covered with a sheet and laying on the highway awaiting the coroner to arrive, kept getting posted on Facebook by a belligerent person with an agenda to "educate everyone to watch out for bikers". The picture that we posted above shows no such detail and was by someone obviously pulled off of the highway; that kind of picture we will share to alert everyone to a situation that they need to avoid as they head out to go somewhere. Posting pics, even taking them, of a dead man, and especially not getting the family's permission is ABSOLUTELY WRONG. The lives of the first responders are at risk with every person who stops paying attention to the instructions they are giving on how to get around the accident while they snap away. I cannot refrain from saying something to help keep my friends safe: please, respect the family, be safe, and don't be an ass taking pictures of a last man's moments.
