CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. — A study evaluating the need for a traffic light at the intersection of E. Belleview Avenue and S. Franklin Street will be presented to Cherry Hills Village City Council Tuesday night.
Denver7 covered concerns around this intersection in March after longtime resident Gerry Goldberg, who had been fighting for years to get a traffic light installed at this Cherry Hills Village-Greenwood Village shared intersection where his wife was killed in 2024, died at the scene of a two-vehicle crash at the very same intersection.
- Watch the full story in the video player below.
Denver7 also spoke with a nearby neighbor, Susan Cooper, in March, who said she was upset with how many deaths there had been at the intersection.
“I’ve really wanted this signal because that would save lives,” Cooper told Denver7.
Listed on Tuesday’s nights agenda is “Presentation of the Traffic Warrant Study” for this intersection. The study was conducted by WSB Design and Consulting LLC.
After evaluating traffic volumes, pedestrian activity, and crash history, the study determined none of the signal warrants were “satisfied” at the intersection, meaning the intersection does not meet the necessary criteria for signal installation.
- Read the full study in the embed below.
Traffic data was collected over four weekdays between March and April of this year. Those days included Tuesday, March 31, Thursday, April 2, Tuesday, April 14, and Thursday, April 16.
Those behind the study said collecting traffic volume data on multiple days over the span of two separate weeks ensured accuracy and reliability.
An excerpt from the memorandum reads, “Recent fatal crashes at South Franklin Street and East Belleview Avenue have generated significant public concern and increased interest in potential safety improvements, including installation of a traffic signal. The City recognizes the seriousness of these events and the importance of evaluating potential solutions using established engineering criteria and processes.”
The memorandum said “warrants” are used to define the minimum conditions for consideration of a traffic signal.
“Simply meeting one or more of the warrant criteria does not mean that a signal is justified at a given location. There are many factors that impact the effectiveness of a signal, and all these factors should be evaluated by qualified professionals before a decision to install a signal is made. If the warrant criteria are not met, engineering guidance indicates that other safety or operational improvements should be considered before signal installation,” the document reads.
This is not the first study done at this intersection, Denver7 reported that in September 2024, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted one after the fatal crash that took the life of Andie Goldberg, Gerry Goldberg's wife.
Denver7 Traffic
Man pushing for light dies in crash at intersection where wife was killed
According to Greenwood Village City Council January minutes, CDOT approved a signal, citing that 85% of cars were going at least 5 mph over the speed limit. That met the requirements for traffic signal approval, but nothing was done.
City council minutes from December show the first mention of this intersection dates back to 2009, when a CDOT study found that speeding in the area did not meet requirements for a traffic light.
CDOT must approve any changes to E. Belleview Avenue as it is a state highway that separates the cities of Greenwood Village and Cherry Hills Village.
Another resident called into the Denver7 newsroom Monday night, sharing that they do not believe a traffic light is needed at this intersection.
