Spring rain to test new flood projects
The Colorado Department of Transportation said its eager for spring rains to test the effectiveness of several local flood control projects along U.S. 24 in Ute Pass.
CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson said Tuesday that most rain in the past year hasn’t been heavy enough to provide desired tests.
“No one wants to see a flash flood but we’d like to see how well (the projects work),” he said.
Workers have installed wider culverts, boulders and catch nets to trap the largest debris. Much of the work can’t be seen from the highway.
Recently, CDOT also installed closure gates to be lowered and keep traffic off the highway when it’s closed because of flash flood warnings.
Neighbors have mixed feelings about whether the measures will work.
“I’m not too worried about it,” said Leslye Cox, who moved to the area last spring.
Her next-door neighbor, Lori Bingham, doesn’t like the closure gates.
“It would be nice to have (authorities) take an ID and let us get home from work if we can prove we live here, Bingham said. “I should be able to get home if I work (just) 7 miles away.”
