Driving Hazards On Fountain Mesa Road

By Jon Karroll

COLORADO SPRINGS – Abundant moisture and a depleted budget are taking their toll on an El Paso County road. Heavy rain has opened up huge potholes in the drainage ditch alongside Fountain Mesa Road in the Security / Widefield area.

County Engineer Andre Brackin says a storm drain system needs to be installed but there’s no money in the budget for that. “There are many, many locations in this part of the county, in the Security / Widefield area that need these types of storm drains” says Brackin. “If you put them all together you’re probably looking at potentially $5 to $6 million in cost in just storm drain drainage systems alone.” That’s money the County doesn’t have. Commissioner Sallie Clark tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 there’s a $500 million backlog in Capital Improvement Projects pertaining to roads, bridges and storm drains.

In the meantime the County is putting up warning signs and will begin patching the holes next week.