Safer Streets Northwest
Project Summary
Safer Streets Northwest is a study aiming to improve travel safety and comfort along some of Fort Collins’ busiest streets.
The goal of this study: To make these streets safer, more convenient and more enjoyable for everyone—whether you’re walking, biking, rolling or driving. Funded by the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, this project supports the City of Fort Collins' broader goals around traffic safety, carbon neutrality and active transportation.
The Safer Streets Northwest study builds on the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, Active Modes Plan and Transportation Capital Improvements, focusing on major streets in northwest Fort Collins and creating a plan for safety upgrades, street redesigns and long-term improvements. This study's outcomes will guide future investments, funding applications and projects.
Why Now?
In 2023 the City made the Vision Zero commitment to eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes by 2032. While the City has long prioritized traffic safety through enforcement and design, fatal and serious crashes still happen. This study is a proactive step toward safer streets for all.
Community Engagement
Your voice matters. We're committed to ensuring this study reflects the needs of the Fort Collins community. This study will reflect input from across Fort Collins, with a focus on reaching a diverse mix of residents.
The first two engagement phases took place from June-September 2025 and engaged over 500 community members.
In Phase 1 (June), we gathered input on which streets and segments in Northwest Fort Collins should be prioritized for safety improvements. Combining the input we received with the results of our crash analysis and review of past plans and studies, we identified three high-priority corridors: Shields Street, Taft Hill Road, and Laurel Street.
In Phase 2 (July-September), we collected targeted feedback on the three high-priority corridors.
We heard that the community is concerned about safety and connectivity, citing speeding, turning conflicts, long signal waits, and inadequate infrastructure such as narrow bike lanes and missing sidewalks.
There is a critical need to reduce speeding, provide safer crossings, and build bike lanes that offer greater protection for people riding bicycles/scooters.
Shields Street

The City of Fort Collins is looking for your input to shape Shields Street from Stuart to Lake Street. This project is part of a revisioning of Shields Street to improve safety and comfort for all road users. These improvements along Shields Street include wide shared-use paths and geometric intersection redesigns.
You can help us with these design decisions! Share your input on how you use the corridor and what improvements are the most important to you:
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