Unfixed Road Problems In Ellicott Subdivision
by Zach Thaxtonz.thaxton@krdo.comFollow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ZachThaxton
EL PASO COUNTY – Residents of the Sunset Village development near Ellicott have bad roads. Asphalt road surfaces in aboutone-quarter of the subdivision don’t match the height of manhole covers or concrete drainage surfaces. Potholes, cracks, and crumbling surfaces are prevalent throughout this neighborhood about 5 miles south of Ellicott where Ellicott Hwy. meets Enoch Rd.
The problem dates back to the original construction of the subdivision nearly 10 years ago. Economic times were better then, and construction of this subdivision for modular and prefabricated homes went quickly. But the bubble soon burst, and the money ran out. Development stopped and the roads were never finished to a standard required by El Paso County for them to perform maintenance on them, including snow removal. The substandard roads are having a detrimental effect on property values.
Commissioner Amy Lathen (El Paso County, Dist. 2) says she was unaware of the problem until NEWSCHANNEL 13 brought it to her attention. She says nobody who lives in the subdivision, which she represents on theBoard of Commissioners,has complained to her about the roads. However, she says county maintenance officials are aware of the road problem and are in communication with the developer to come up with a solution to fix it. If the developer can’t bring the roads up to maintenance standards, Commissioner Lathen says the county will call the bond on the developer and bring the roads up to standard using county equipment. Because of the bond, the repairs wouldn’t require funding from El Paso Countytaxpayers.
