AURORA, Colo. — Issues with RTD rail crossing equipment have caused several traffic signals to malfunction in Aurora, according to RTD, for the past several days.
Those Denver7 spoke to in the area Saturday, say issues impacting the intersection of 30th Avenue and Peoria Street may have contributed to multiple crashes. One of those crashes involved an Aurora police vehicle Thursday morning.
"I've witnessed three accidents so far … in the last three days," an employee at a nearby business with a view of the intersection told Denver7.
The employee provided Denver7 with surveillance footage showing two vehicles colliding with each other Saturday afternoon.
Every traffic signal in the intersection flashes, and as a Denver7 crew witnessed, not every driver abides by the four-way stop that's initiated with such traffic conditions.
The RTD crossing alarm is also malfunctioning, according to the Denver7 crew, sounding off as if a light rail train is approaching the intersection when one isn't.
When a train does finally approach, the gates that go down and block off the roadway to prohibit traffic from crossing the tracks aren't working either.
According to RTD, the gate issue is impacting the R-Line. The transportation district has placed attendants at each of the crossings as a result of the malfunction, which is causing delays.
An RTD spokesperson released this statement to Denver7:
"Crews are investigating, and it appears related to a networking or electronic communications issue. My colleagues have confirmed there are four gates affected between Colfax Station and Peoria Station. Attendants are present at each of the crossings and customers can expect minor delays as trains may be moving more slowly through the area. There is no estimated time for resolution at this point. So the trains have to stop here so they don't hit anybody and make sure it's clear before they go."
The employee also provided surveillance footage of an Aurora police cruiser collide with another vehicle on Thursday.
A statement to Denver7 by Aurora Police read in part:
"The crash occurred at 10:20 a.m. Thursday, June 1, at Peoria Street and East 30th Avenue. An APD officer was driving south on Peoria with lights and sirens. The officer was following an ambulance that also was driving with lights and sirens. Both the officer and the ambulance were responding to a nonfatal train vs. pedestrian crash."
The officer and the other driver were treated at the hospital and released the same day.
Aurora police said video of the crash shows the ambulance moving through the intersection with lights followed about eight seconds later by the APD officer, who also had his emergency lights flashing. At that moment, a driver in a gold-colored Pontiac pulled into the intersection in front of the officer's vehicle, according to Aurora police.
Watch the video below:
Police said the female driver of the Pontiac was unlicensed and driving without insurance. She also had an active warrant for failing to appear in court for a previous traffic violation, according to to police.
Video of the surveillance footage and the full on air story will air Sunday after NBA Finals Game 2 between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat on Denver7.
