Posts tagged mountain
Boulder County: Updated transportation maps and a roads hotline available
Oct 3rd
ROADS HOTLINE
In addition to keeping an updated map and chart of Boulder County road closures, Boulder County has established a “Roads Hotline” at 303-441-3928 (staffed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday). Residents and visitors with questions about county roads, culverts and bridges damaged by the flood can call this number for information.
GPS & MAPPING
The unprecedented destruction of roads and private property in Boulder County, especially in the central foothills and mountain areas, has rendered many roads impassable to public traffic. GPS devices and online mapping services may not be keeping up with road closures on a “real time” basis. The safest bet to ensure an accurate picture of open roadways in Boulder County is to check the Road Closures page on www.BoulderCountyFlood.org.
PUBLIC SAFETY & ROAD MAINTENANCE
Boulder County officials have made it an immediate priority to repair and reconstruct county roads and bridges damaged in the flood. Mountain residents are asked to minimize trips into and out of damaged areas to allow road crews to do repairs. Additionally, visitors and plains residents are requested to curtail recreation in the mountain areasbetween these points:
- U.S. 36 (Foothills Hwy) and Hwy 72/Hwy 7 (Peak to Peak) (central west and northwest Boulder County)
- Hwy 93/Hwy 7 and Hwy 72/Hwy 119 (southwest Boulder County)
Travel is permissible along the Peak to Peak Highway, north to south. Visitors can access the Towns of Nederland and Allenspark in Boulder County and Estes Park in Larimer County along Peak to Peak Highway (SH 72/119/7).
“It is incredibly difficult to rebuild roads with people on them, so please avoid the damaged mountain roads unless absolutely necessary, and minimize even residential trips to keep roads clear for heavy equipment and emergency vehicles,” said George Gerstle, Boulder County Transportation Director. “It is difficult and takes much longer for the crews to fix a road with traffic on it. The fewer people using the road, the faster we can get the work done.”
COUNTY ROAD REPAIRS
Boulder County Transportation is receiving many questions about when county roads in the unincorporated areas will be repaired and permanently restored. Recognizing that restoring all damaged facilities to pre-flood condition is an enormous task, the county is currently conducting a comprehensive damage assessment that will help establish long-term priorities and plans for infrastructure restoration.
County Transportation is currently working on several parallel tracks to restore immediate access, ensure public safety, and develop long term priorities and plans for infrastructure restoration:
- Residential Mountain Access: County road crews are working to restore minimal safe access to areas that are currently inaccessible. This activity is taking place largely in the mountain areas so that residents can inspect homes and utilities can be restored. The county will continue working to maintain minimal safe access to mountain areas through the winter.
- Damage Assessment: The County has completed damage assessments for approximately 67% of its road and bridge facilities. Most of the facilities still to be assessed for damage are in mountain areas that remain inaccessible. County road crews are constructing 4 wheel drive/ATV accesses to these areas so that the county can assess current conditions and flood damage.
- Road and Bridge Restoration: For road and bridge facilities where damage is known, the County is developing cost estimates in order to design and construct permanent repair and replacement facilities. Right now this primarily involves roads and bridges on the plains in eastern Boulder County. Due to the impending winter season, construction will take place predominantly in the spring. However, if there is construction activity that can be undertaken during the winter effectively and appropriate, the county will pursue this possibility.
- Stabilizing Bridges: There are several bridges and roads that sustained damage due to creeks leaving their pre-flood channels. The County is working to realign and restore creeks in select places where doing so presents further damage and allows existing bridges to function as they were intended.
SNOW REMOVAL
As winter approaches, crews will plow roads and keep roads open to the best extent possible. However, there may be a need for new and additional closures, should snowfall be heavy. In the mountains, residents will need to be extremely cautious as roads, particularly those that now provide minimal safe access, may be subject to wash-out conditions and require frequent repairs.
For public safety reasons and in order to allow crews to do their work, Boulder County’s Road Maintenance Division is requesting motorists to please be aware of the following issues.
- Drive slowly and carefully; hazards that previously could be seen and avoided may be hidden after a snowfall.
- Many roads are only one lane in places which will require extra diligence and courtesy on every driver’s part.
- Give the right of way to oncoming snow removal equipment, it will be much easier for a car or pickup to find a location to stop or pull over than it will be for our large snow removal equipment.
- Be aware that county roads that are not affected by damage may experience minor delays for snow removal due to diverted resources.
- Allow extra time for travel in those areas affected by the flood rough roads, steep shoulder drop offs, single lane roads, visibility and other hazards will require everyone’s attention and vigilance.
County officials want mountain driving restraint
Sep 25th
Clarification:
Mountain residents are asked to minimize trips into and out of damaged areas, and visitors and plains residents are requested to curtail recreation in the mountain area between U.S. 36 and SH 72 this fall (travel is allowed along P2P Highway north to south)
Visitors can access the Town of Estes Park in Larimer County along Peak to Peak Highway (SH 72) – we’re just asking that visitors not try to venture east or west of P2P in Boulder County along roads that are closed to public access
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County officials have made it an immediate priority to repair and reconstruct county roads and bridges damaged in the flood. The county sustained an enormous amount of damage to its roadway infrastructure, and in some places, experienced complete destruction of critical routes in the foothills and mountains. Initial estimates for repairs top $100 million.
Boulder County road maintenance crews have been working on clearing, evaluating structural integrity and public safety, and repairing county roads since the beginning of the historic flooding event. Utility companies have also been active since the start working to restore electric, gas, phone, water and other basic services. Given the current status of the roads, county public safety and transportation officials are urging residents to minimize – and visitors to curtail completely – their use of mountain roads within Boulder County.
(Video: Boulder County “Be a Good Neighbor” Public Safety & Road Infrastructure message)
“We kindly ask that people stay out of the foothills and mountain areas from Foothills Highway to Peak to Peak this fall for recreational purposes while our county, state and federal partners work to restore access to all of our valued mountain communities,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “Right now we need our residents and visitors to access our central mountain communities only for essential purposes and to give room to our road crews and law enforcement officials to do their jobs.”
“We want residents and visitors to recognize that Boulder County is hard at work to reestablish our infrastructure and reconnect residents to their communities and their homes,” said Boulder County Transportation Director George Gerstle. “The county has teamed with cities and towns, the state, other nearby counties and private contractors to help with this massive undertaking. Crews are working as quickly as we can to put in place at least temporary fixes by winter, knowing that cold weather and snow will only compound problems with damaged roads.”
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting that all recreation and unnecessary trips into the foothills and mountains of Boulder County be curtailed until critical roads, including Boulder Canyon and U.S. 36 west of Lyons, can be opened to the general public. (View video)
“The road issues are more than a mere inconvenience,” said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. “Everyone working at the county understands that the lack of access and the lengthy process to restore it will change lives, and we are focused on returning a sense of normalcy to lives that have been changed forever in some cases.”
County officials have asked that vehicles, bikes and pedestrians stay out of the damaged areas while road and emergency crews, utilities and local residents work to restore basic infrastructure and access to their homes.
“People who want to recreate in the mountains or go see the destruction will actually hamper access for emergency responders, utility workers, and mountain residents who absolutely need the access,” Pelle said. “For that reason we’re asking people who don’t have to go to the mountains to stay away and to understand that this is a very long term problem.”
“It is incredibly difficult to rebuild roads with people on them, so please avoid the mountain roads unless absolutely necessary, and minimize even residential trips to keep roads clear for heavy equipment and emergency vehicles,” Gerstle added. “It is difficult and takes much longer for the crews to fix a road with traffic on it. The fewer people using the road, the faster we can get the work done.”
Another important recovery aspect for many residents is the status of county open space parks and trails.
“Our staff has been assessing damage and working to repair trails as quickly as possible, but there are many parks and trails that may be closed for a significant duration as these areas have experienced extreme damage and the trails are unsafe,” said Boulder County Parks & Open Space Director Ron Stewart.
In addition, the U.S. Forest Service in Boulder County has closed its lands for all recreational purposes (i.e., camping, hiking, hunting, etc.) by executive order until further notice.
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Free transportation will be provided to flood victims seeking disaster center help
Sep 22nd
Increased traffic and the lack of transportation options in the mountains and foothills of Boulder County continues to be a problem for our residents and road & utility work crews. Similarly, residents impacted by the flood may have difficulty getting to one of the disaster assistance centers, either in Boulder or Longmont.
In order to alleviate some of the congestion and isolation issues of getting to and from Boulder from our mountain communities, and to assist residents getting to or from a disaster assistance center, VIA, RTD, City of Boulder and Boulder County are working together to provide accessible transportation options for plains and mountain residents affected by the flood.
Transportation to/from Disaster Assistance Centers and for basic needs
From Sept. 21 through Oct. 17, Boulder County’s nonprofit Via Mobility Services will provide flood victims with free on-demand transportation to Boulder County’s disaster assistance centers, as long as Via staff can safely reach the pickup locations. This free service will also be provided to the disaster assistance center in Estes Park. To schedule a ride, call 303-447-9636 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Via will also provide free on-demand transportation for any flood victim in its service area to access healthcare, food, employment, or other essential services to help stabilize their lives. Via can also provide information about mobility options and referral to other transportation resources that may be available in local communities. Call 303-447-2848 ext. 1014 or email egallegos@viacolorado.org for more information.
Mountain community transportation updates
Beginning Monday, Sept. 23:
- The Climb bus will resume service with a modified route from Gold Hill Road through Sunshine Canyon Drive to the Boulder Transit Center. The Climb is operated by Via. Please see www.the-climb.org for additional route and schedule information.
- In collaboration with RTD and Boulder County, Via will also provide two mid-day routes from Boulder to Nederland through Sunshine Canyon Drive using four-wheel-drive paratransit vehicles.
- RTD’s reconstituted large coach N route, will provide early morning and late afternoon between Nederland and Boulder via Highway 119 and Blackhawk. See www.viacolorado.org or www.rtd-denver.com for more information.
Via Mobility Services
Via is a private, nonprofit organization providing on-demand transportation, individual, and group travel training and mobility options information and referral. For more information, please visit www.viacolorado.orgor call 303-447-2848.
—www.bouldercountyflood.org and www.boulderfloodinfo.net—
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