A McElmo Canyon paving project on County Road G has stalled, leading to risky driving and longer commutes.<\/p>\n
Scheduling and financial issues on the chip-seal project have stalled its completion, said Montezuma County road manager Rob Englehart.<\/p>\n
He said the project is still on schedule, but the county hadn\u2019t foreseen that a grinder contractor would finish the job three weeks ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe estimated it would take four to five weeks, but it took them just one week,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the stretch of road from County Road 21 to County Road J is in rough condition while it awaits a chip-seal layer, and the $176,000 in grant money to pay for the material has not arrived.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realize the road is rough and are asking for patience out there,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we proceed before we receive the grant, we lose it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oil contracts and delivery were secured in January and scheduled for payment in July, Englehart said. The project began in late March.<\/p>\n
The money is expected to be freed up soon, and the chip-seal layer installed and completed in early July.<\/p>\n
The road\u2019s substructure was damaged and had to be torn out. A layer of gravel was laid, and magnesium chloride applied to hold it together before the chip-seal layer.<\/p>\n
For residents and commuters, the road has become a challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty rough, and takes longer to get to town and back,\u201d said Jessie Harrison, a McElmo Canyon resident. \u201cThe county is doing the best they can, but the public\u2019s not always cooperating.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said people have been speeding through the construction zone, and some drivers have lost control in the gravel and slid off the road.<\/p>\n
A paving trial lies ahead<\/p>\n
A second project, on a two-mile section of Road G from U.S. 491 to County Road 21, will receive an asphalt overlay from Four Corners Materials, Englehart said.<\/p>\n
On Monday, the county commission approved $795,000 for the trial project.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a true asphalt mix that levels out the ruts and ridges of paved roads,\u201d Englehart said. \u201cIf it is successful, we want to use it to improve more of our roads.\u201d<\/p>\n
The funds will come from the road and bridge department\u2019s budget and reserves. The deal did not require a competitive bid, Englehart said, because it\u2019s a test trial. If successful, he expects competitive bidding process on it next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe asphalt mix is being used on Highway 184, west of 145, and looks like it\u2019s working really well,\u201d he said. \u201cFour Corners Materials has a system where they simplify the paving process and reduce engineering costs. The traditional paving costs would be double, so we are trying to do a good job with less.\u201d<\/p>\n
The asphalt paving trial will also be applied to on Road 22, north of Road S for 1.1 miles.<\/p>\n
The newly paved sections will be monitored to see how it hold up to a year of heat, ice and snowplows.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since we\u2019ve paved a county road,\u201d said commissioner Larry Don Suckla. \u201cIf the new pavement does not hold up, we will go a different direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Englehart said drivers should avoid McElmo Road if they can during the projects to avoid delays that will be significant at times.<\/p>\n