I think it’s been well documented that the intersection of Piedra (CR 600) and US Highway 160 is the most dangerous intersection in the community, in terms of serious accidents.
That was one of the key intersections studied by Bechtolt Engineering in its 54-page report, Traffic Impact Study: Oakbrush Hill Gravel Development, regarding a proposed gravel pit on Oakbrush Hill.
The report was written by professional engineers James Nall and Joni Brookes. Their conclusions about the proposed gravel truck traffic (which they were paid to formulate) are these:
This study concludes that the development can be implemented, and the highway system will continue to operate at an acceptable Level of Service. The calculations included the projected 20-year (2041) background traffic in addition to the development using the forecasted traffic volumes.
When I did a search of the PDF document, however, the word “accidents” does not appear anywhere in the report. So we can assume “accidents” are not important to this particular engineering company. You can review the report and download it, here.
That said, we have a couple of other huge problems in Archuleta County.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Archuleta County Commissioners approved a host of new subdivisions that would eventually build out 300 miles of publicly-owned gravel roads. I suspect few people thought those subdivisions would ever build out fully, because Colorado was not so much of a destination back then.
The population of the entire county was 2,700 people, including the town. There was little tourism to speak of. Life was simple. No one was thinking ‘long-range’.
When one or two families lived on each gravel road, the County had little need to do anything other than grade each road once a year. No mag chloride was necessary to keep down the dust.
But the Pagosa real estate industry blossomed during the 1990s, and the permanent population by 1999 was 9,800. It’s now 13,500. We now have at least five times the traffic on those (poorly engineered?) gravel roads, compared to 1970.
Then the vacation rental industry arrived in the 2000s and the summer tourist population has exploded to a point where it may be greater than the entire permanent population. So… maybe 10 times as much traffic as in 1970?
On gravel roads?
Meanwhile, our Board of County Commissioners decided to abandon our historical downtown courthouse/jail and put the County $25 million in debt for a new ‘law enforcement complex’. They then spent another $1 million on a renovated Sheriff’s Office, and $3 million on a new Department of Human Service building. (I’m including the interest payments in these estimates.)
To pay for this government-led construction spree, the BOCC had to reduce the amount allocated for road maintenance from 25% of the annual property taxes, down to 5%.
So, let’s put this information together. 10 times the traffic on our gravel roads. The property taxes dedicated to roads cut by 80%.
Do we imagine the BOCC is looking for a cheaper source of gravel — local gravel that doesn’t need to be trucked in from Durango?
Do we imagine they’re concerned about the ‘odds’ that accidents will happen on Piedra Road?
Do we imagine they’re concerned about environmental issues?
When I spoke with members of the ‘Stop the Rocks’ citizen group last week, some of them were not aware that the pending gravel pit decision by the Planning Commission, on February 23, is merely advisory. (I have watched our current BOCC dismiss Planning Commission recommendations whenever the spirit moved them.)
A final decision on C&J Gravel’s permit application for a massive gravel pit can be finalized by a vote of two people. Two of the three County Commissioners.
To prevent the development of a 250-acre gravel pit on Oakbrush Hill, the ‘Stop the Rocks’ group and their supporters need to convince two County Commissioners. The group’s effort, to date, have included a website, with a link to a petition. I understand a team of experts — legal, environmental, engineering — has been assembled. Numerous letters have been submitted to the weekly Pagosa Springs SUN. I’ve been told that hundreds of people have signed the petition, which states:
I protest the development of the proposed site for a MAJOR SAND & GRAVEL PIT/PLANT, on Oakbrush Hill, in Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County and I am opposed to its further development. Such a large-scale operation at the proposed site will certainly adversely affect our way of life, endanger citizens ingress and egress to their property, noise, and air pollution, adversely affect the health and wellbeing of Pagosa residents and visitors and adversely affect the Dutton Creek migratory route that runs up to Stevens Lake. The Piedra Road is already in poor condition and up to 80 truck movements carrying 25 tons each in and out on this road per day will create a danger to the community. School bus routes frequent this road which puts our most precious asset at risk, our children. Piedra Road just can’t sustain the increased traffic in addition to the winding path it takes and the frightening curve at the Dutton Creek Road crossing.
In my humble opinion, a petition probably won’t matter. A website probably won’t matter. Letters to the editor probably won’t matter. The biologists and geologists and road engineers that Stop the Rocks has lined up, probably won’t matter.
In the end, the only thing that really matters is: two votes on the BOCC.
Whatever performance the opponents are able to arrange for the Planning Commission on February 23 might be cathartic, but in the end, they need two votes at the BOCC’s public hearing — a hearing that is currently scheduled for March 1.
How to get those two votes? I can’t offer any advice in that regard. I’ve failed over and over to convince the BOCC to agree with my point of view.
Anyway, here are some problems, at the moment. The BOCC has put us too deeply in debt for our own good. An historical plan for 300 miles of gravel roads made no allowances for where the gravel would come from in the future. The citizens have no recognized right to petition the County government. And two commissioners — count them, two — can make the final decision on a massive gravel pit permit.
Time for Archuleta County to institute a Home Rule County Government?