They're crash barrels, not trash barrels

QUESTION: On the corner of North Nevada and Mountview Lane there are yellow crash tubs around the street light poles. They are filled with trash. Does the city empty those tubs on scheduled days? There are more trash-filled tubs one block to the south on North Nevada and Winters.
- Denise Wickersheim

ANSWER: These are attenuator barrels and they’re filled with water or sand. Colorado Department of Transportation says that although there might be litter on top, they’re not trash barrels. Attenuator barrels are designed to explode on impact to cushion a vehicle and absorb the shock of a vehicle hitting a solid object. Many people mistakenly believe the barrels are there to protect the light poles; instead they’re designed to save lives, according to CDOT.