By Freda Miklin
Senior Reporter
Midday on March 2, Gerry Goldberg was killed in a two-car crash at the intersection of Belleview Avenue and Franklin Street. It is the same intersection where Andie Goldberg, his wife, was killed in an auto-pedestrian accident in May 2024.
In an eerie statement made by 9News before Gerry Goldberg was publicly identified, the TV reporter said, “That area was the site of a deadly crash back in 2024, and the husband of the woman killed in that crash has been pushing to get a stoplight there. However, those efforts have been stalled because it is a shared jurisdiction.”
He was referring to the fact that the north side of the intersection is in Cherry Hills Village and the south side is in Greenwood Village, so both cities would have to agree to the installation of the light. The effort by neighbors in both cities to get that done has been ongoing for more than a year. Many have appeared before both GV’s and CHV’s city councils multiple times. Petitions with over 400 signatures were submitted to both city councils asking for the traffic light last year by Gerry Goldberg and former GV City Council Member Jerry Presley but several residents of both cities spoke against the traffic light, concerned that it could lead to increased traffic in their neighborhoods. No action has been taken to date by either city.
Presley told The Villager, “We were 50/50 partners on the campaign (to get a traffic light at that intersection). This is very personal to me and many others. We are in the first stage of grief.”
GV Mayor George Lantz said, “I am very sorry to hear about this tragic accident. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Goldberg family and friends.”
GV Council Member Paul Wiesner, in whose district Gerry and Andie Goldberg lived, said, “The safety and well-being of our citizens living in a vibrant village is my goal as a councilmember. The growth of Denver Metro region is impacting our community in ways that need to be addressed. The increased traffic and speeding along the Belleview corridor have risen to the point where creative solutions need to be instigated. Greenwood Village is studying the implications of installing a stop light at the Franklin/Belleview intersection. We want to make certain that a stop light accomplishes the goal of creating a safe intersection without sacrificing the safety of the neighborhood by inadvertently increasing the amount of cut through traffic wishing to avoid a congested University/Belleview intersection. My thoughts, prayers, and condolences lie with the Goldberg family.”
The official statement regarding the accident from CHV Police Chief Jason Lyons, as of March 3, was, “Yesterday, at 11:52am, Greenwood Village Police and Cherry Hills Village Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at Belleview Ave and Franklin Street. As a result of that collision, one adult male was pronounced deceased from his injuries. No other injuries were reported. The other vehicle remained on-scene and there is no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved. The crash and its causation remain under investigation.”
As we went to press, The Villager received this statement from the mayor and city council of Cherry Hills Village: “The City extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by the recent tragic traffic accident at the intersection of E. Belleview and S. Franklin. Any loss of life in our community is heartbreaking, and we recognize the profound impact this incident has had on loved ones and neighbors. Our thoughts are with everyone grieving during this difficult time.”
It went on, “After hearing concerns from residents about the safety of that intersection, the City Council was planning to discuss conducting an updated warrant study at the March 17 City Council meeting. However, in light of the recent accident, City Council has directed staff to expedite that effort to evaluate whether current conditions meet the minimum standards required by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) prior to the installation of any traffic signal on a state highway. In addition, City Council has directed staff to coordinate with Greenwood Village staff to review the situation collaboratively and identify possible next steps. The City remains committed to carefully evaluating all available data and working with regional partners to promote the safety and well-being of our community. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”