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Colorado cuts back rural plowing
Parts of state highways 151, 172 won't have snow removed at night
Herald Staff Writer
Some of the less-traveled state roads will go unplowed at night this winter as a cost-saving measure by the Colorado Department of Transportation.
It's definitely going to be a change for folks, but we want to work with them.
- Mindy Crane, CDOT spokeswoman
State roads with fewer than 1,000 vehicle trips per day won’t be plowed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., Mindy Crane, spokeswoman for the CDOT in Denver, said Friday. The decision left at least one Arboles resident concerned about emergency access.
For Southwest Colorado, that means parts of state highways 151 and 172 won’t be plowed at night. And in Dolores and San Miguel counties, Colorado Highway 141 won’t be plowed at night on a 55-mile stretch from U.S. Highway 491, near Dove Creek, to the intersection with Colorado Highway 145, near Naturita.
On Thursday, CDOT workers installed a large sign on Colorado Highway 151 near Arboles notifying drivers of the plow schedule. The road will not be plowed at night from Arboles north to U.S. Highway 160, near Chimney Rock – or from mile markers 16 to 34.
A 2-mile stretch of Highway 172 won’t be plowed at night from the Colorado-New Mexico border to County Road 322, about five miles south of Ignacio.
Tammy McDowell, who lives in Arboles, said CDOT’s decision not to plow Highway 151 will effectively cut off nighttime travel between her home and Pagosa Springs, both of which are in Archuleta County. And she worries that emergency vehicles won’t be able to access Arboles from Pagosa Springs.
“Basically what they’ve done is isolate us if there’s a snowstorm at night from the rest of Archuleta County,” McDowell said. “If there were an emergency, Pagosa is where law enforcement would come from.”
Crain said if there is an emergency, law-enforcement agencies can contact CDOT, and a snowplow will clear the way.
“We’re going to work with emergency service providers and make sure emergency responses are efficient and safe,” Crane said.
CDOT also will work with school districts to clear roads for sporting events, she said.
“We’re taking those things into consideration,” Crane said. “It’s definitely going to be a change for folks, but we want to work with them.”
Crane said municipalities and counties across the state have adopted similar plowing schedules to save money and to concentrate resources on roads more heavily traveled.
Officials with the city of Durango and La Plata County did not immediately return phone calls Friday afternoon seeking comment.
CDOT has had a policy in place for the last couple of years not to plow roads at night if they have fewer than 1,000 vehicle trips per day, but the policy hasn’t been strictly adhered to, Crane said.
If it is snowing hard enough that the road may close, CDOT will plow the road to keep it open, she said.
How much money the plowing schedule will save the agency depends on the snow year, but Crane said the agency is trying to be fiscally responsible when possible.
Paul DeJuli, maintenance supervisor for CDOT in Durango, said residents along highways 151 and 172 south of Ignacio shouldn’t notice too much of a difference this year from past years. Those sections of roads were always low priority because they don’t get much use, he said.
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Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
at 9:05:11 AM
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Bill says...
This is merely another example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Support for nonsensical spending elsewhere is being drawn from essential services under the guise of "the needs of the many" routine. We're seeing it in all levels of government and remarkable examples in states such as CA and NY and it will fall to each of us to pay more for less in the end. Those of us who may be excluded from safe travel to our livelihoods will do nothing to bolster budgets and, indeed, some may become a liability. And as for the preposterous notion of plowing for emegency services when needed; wasteful again as they'll only arrive to survey the ashes or recover the corpse. How about exempting from applicable taxes those of us in the areas where services are to be limited or curtailed so that recources may be directed at the formation of local districts to handle our needs.
Monday, October 26, 2009
at 7:05:57 PM
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H Ewing says...
Arboles Co residents pay just as much taxes and vehicle fees as any other residents in the sorrounding area. We expect to receive the same services as other tax paying citizens do within the State of Colorado. We understand where we live and that the service we pay for may take a little longer to receive but to only provide snowplowing from 5AM till 7PM is irresponsible. It seems like it would be more effective to plow roads when there's is minimal traffic rather than during peak hours (ask a driver). On the average more snow falls during the night (colder temps) than during the day. I'm wondering if CDOT plans on putting more trucks in these area's during their twelve hour shift, if not and the roads are not cleared by 7 pm, because of excess snow fall, will we have to wait until the next shift? As far as Mike's comment, I bet he doesn't live anywhere near the affected area's! As far as CDOT's reply to emergency situtions...yeah let's see how well that works.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
at 5:08:57 PM
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mike says...
i think this is great! id be okay if they did it on more roads! its nice to see someone be fiscally responsible for once! guess what, if u dont like it...move!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
at 7:11:00 AM
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Charley says...
I wonder how much money CDOT spent on mowing the grass/weeds/trash along the sides of these highways? This seems to serve no real purpose, as it looks worse after mowing than before. CDOT and our politicians need to get priorities straight.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
at 10:43:40 PM
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Undisclosed says...
Ditto on Gary. As a Corrections officer and supervisor i don,t have the luxury of working 9-5 Monday-Friday like most of La Plata residents. Most of the time i work when everyone else is sleeping. Last year i spent 4 nights living in a hotel because i could not make it home due to lack of plowing roads. The year before that, i don't recall ever seeing a snowplow all winter. This is action is irresponsible and will cause many unhappy residents. Emergency services are slow enough in the winter due to road conditions, waiting for a snowplough (that drives slow enough as it is) to clear a road will cause unnecessary damage to property and possibly cost a life.
Stop spending money on roundabouts and bridges to nowhere that we can live without, and put the money where it needs to be. If this action passes, i will need to take EMT classes, install a winch and CB radio in my truck, so i will not have to depend on the county.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
at 9:05:58 PM
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Lars says...
Imagine how far the money spent on "The Bridge to Nowhere" roundabout would go towards actually helping out the citizens of this state. Instead we get officious arrogance, ill-timed energy wasting traffic lights, and poorly conceived endlessly executed projects. Throw 'em out.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
at 11:56:26 AM
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Darksky says...
If there is a tragedy then we will see a reversal of this policy. Short of that I doubt it. The interesting part about this is that given the nature of the people who choose to live in our part of the world, you will see private citizens (over taxed, over worked, under represented private citizens) out plowing the roads with our pickups and loaders just to serve our neighbors. Our sense of community (and our faith) demands it from us.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
at 10:20:06 AM
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gary says...
Wait a minute now! I was informed that the dramatic increase in our vehicle registration was going to help with road conditions. Not only improving the roads, but maintaining them during winter conditions. Some of these routes are used by school buses traveling for school activities. If there is an emergency, law enforcement can contact C-Dot? In the mean time someone is dying trapped in a vehicle accident or a home burns down while emergency crews wait for a plow to arrive?! We all know how sudden the amount of snowfall can change in our areas and these roads need to be maintained as usual. Sounds like a huge step backwards and a law suit attached to it.