Why Windsor Needs to Put a New Light on 15th Street

Maybe Windsor will never be known as one of Colorado's biggest towns, but it has seen the population double since 2015, from 20,000 to more than 40,000. Sometimes it's just necessary to stop traffic for a minute.

Windsor, Colorado Needs at Stoplight at 15th and Birch

If you live in Windsor, work in Windsor, or just visit Windsor, you know that traffic can often be a problem. Between Over the Road truckers coming through on Highway 392 (Main Street,) the train that can block Main, and just an overall population boom, it gets "nuts."

I've worked in Downtown Windsor since 1997; at that time there were just over 7,000 people living in the whole town. 2023's census showed that Windsor's population was now over 40,000. The town is "growing out of its britches" in a lot of ways, but especially when it comes to traffic.

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I feel for the folks that are headed eastbound on Main (Highway 392) when I get off of work; cars are backed up for about a mile, as I turn to head west, back to Downtown Loveland, where I live (which has its own issues, trust me.)

My concern, however, is on the west side of town by the King Soopers on 15th Street. With only two grocery stores in town (this King Sooper and the Safeway across Main Street) they both see a lot of cars. Add into the situation that 15th Street is a busy artery that takes you out to County Road 74, there's a lot of traffic in that area.

Will Windsor Add a Signal at 15th and Birch?

There are two big reasons to put in a signal at 15th and Birch. For one, people trying to get out of King Soopers and head north on 15th; cars end up waiting and waiting and waiting as a stream of cars head south on 15th (those heading north get stalled at the signal at Main and 15th.)

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Second, pedestrians that need to cross 15th are all but ignored while standing at the crosswalk that's at 15th and Birch. People end up stepping out into traffic just to get people's attention, hoping they'll stop.

If there was a signal, traffic would flow in and out of King Soopers much easier, and pedestrians would be able to safely "cross at the light." The signal could be timed so that those that get a green light to head north at Main and 15th, also get a green light at Birch.

I've reached out to the Town of Windsor to see if there's been any talk about installing a signal at 15th and Birch, but haven't heard back, yet.