El Paso County launches iSTOP outreach after $1 million Board allocation for intersection safety

El Paso County engineer Josh Palmer said the county has launched an intersection-safety effort known as iSTOP after the Board of County Commissioners approved $1,000,000 for improvements and outreach. The funding targets non-signalized intersections with sight-distance issues common in rural areas such as Black Forest.

"We were approved to spend $1,000,000 to make a kind of broad-shot improvement to these types of intersections," Palmer said, describing both physical improvements and a public information campaign intended to educate drivers about risky behaviors and local crash patterns.

Palmer said the county relies on state crash-report data — typically received with about a one-year delay — to identify problem locations and likely contributing factors. He noted that unfamiliarity with an area and overconfidence in driving skills are common contributing factors at intersections.

Palmer emphasized the limits of engineering alone: "You can't out-engineer bad driving behavior," he said, arguing the program combines engineering measures with outreach to encourage safer driving habits.

The county is still developing program details and outreach content, Palmer said. The next steps described in the interview include using state crash data to prioritize locations, implementing low-cost safety improvements at targeted intersections, and coordinating public information with the county's PIO office.

The transcript does not include a formal motion record, vote tally or implementation schedule; the allocation and program concept were described by the county engineer during the podcast.