Several new school safety zones were implemented across Colorado Springs in 2025 as the city and school districts continued efforts to slow speeds around middle and high schools into 2026.

The zones were originally put in place only at elementary student because it was believed they needed the most protection, according to City Traffic Engineer Todd Frisbie. That philosophy shifted as more and more students in middle and high school began to travel to school primarily by vehicle.

“In the event that there is a crash with slower speeds, the result (with) those involved have a much reduced chance of being injured,” Frisbie told The Gazette. “I think that’s kind of where this decision to expand our school zones developed and began to grow.”

School zones in Colorado Springs slow drivers from normal speed limits to 20 mph and can be marked in various ways, including with stripes, flashing lights and crosswalks.

The benefits of having the zones are “tremendous” to the safety around a school, and the feedback to the city on new zones has been mostly positive, Frisbie said.

The city of Colorado Springs utilizes partnerships with its five school districts to collaborate on implementing the school safety zones. Districts have been able to receive funding from the city through the city’s school safety program, which has been in operation for 30 years.

The program helps pay for capital projects for the zones and staff crossing guards in those zones, which are not required by law, according to Frisbie. It has received additional funding to help expand zones to more schools.

Crashes in school zones have remained relatively steady over the past several years with 36 in 2022, 2024 and 2025, according to data from the Colorado Springs police.

Since data tracking began in May 2021, over 90% of those crashes have involved vehicles, while 15 of 164 crashes involved a pedestrian or bicycle.

The one student death in that timeframe encouraged School District 49 to use its partnership with the city to start implementing zones in middle and high schools, according to David Watson, the district’s director of safety and security director.

In 2023, Giorgia Trocciola, a Doherty High School exchange student from Italy, was struck and killed while walking in a crosswalk next to the Colorado Springs District 11 school off Barnes Road, according to previous reporting by The Gazette.

“That incident really highlighted that we do need these types of safety standards near our high schools as well as the elementary schools,” Watson said. “I would say that was a pivotal event in our community.”

Since then, D-49 has worked with the city and El Paso County to install new zones around some of its high schools. Watson believes the new zones have increased driver’s awareness, especially those distracted by their phone, with its bright flashing lights and striping in the roadway.

All questions regarding how the death of the Doherty student altered the planning of zones in Colorado Springs D-11 were directed to a spokesperson, who told The Gazette the work is essential “regardless of whether any one event served as a catalyst.”

“In recent years, this work has also deepened our collaboration with the Mayor’s office and city partners, allowing us to better align priorities, share data, and move more quickly on safety improvements around our schools,” the spokesperson said. “While tragic events inevitably sharpen urgency, our safety planning is not driven by a single incident, but by a sustained, proactive commitment to student well-being.”

Part of that future for the district is securing the right-of-way vacation of Boulder Street to have all Palmer High School buildings on one major city block, D-11’s Executive Director for School Operations Anthony Karr said.

“We preserve student safety and prioritize the learning so they don’t worry about traveling to different city blocks to attend classes,” Karr told The Gazette.

The Boulder Street project may be done in collaboration with the city and would be a proactive strategy to improve safety for students because it reduces the number of times they need to cross a high-traffic area, according to Karr.

Frisbie, who has been in his role for seven years, hopes to implement school safety zones until every public school in Colorado Springs has been covered.

Next year, the city plans to place zones at:

• Vista Ridge High School
• Sierra High School
• Cheyenne Mountain High School
• Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy
• Fox Meadow Middle School
• Mann Middle School
• Tesla Educational Opportunity Center

Frisbie said several schools may have new zones completed in 2026, but it is an “ambitious goal” and could be later. Those schools are:

• Martinez Elementary School
• Atlas Prep
• Panorama Middle School
• Palmer High School
• West Middle School
• McAuliffe Elementary School

“If you’re out there driving, whether you’re a student or passing through, please obey all school zones. It’s only a little bit of a delay for improved safety for everybody around that school.”

Todd Frisbie asked of drivers