Moisture from recent storm a blessing for gravel road maintenance in El Paso County

MIDWAY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The moisture from this week's early winter storm did more than lower the fire danger and help plants and trees; it also soaked county gravel roads that were dry, hard and bumpy because of the hot summer weather.

Gravel roads, mostly in rural areas, comprise half of the county's network of 2,200 center line miles.

The recent moisture softened roads and makes it easier for graders to smooth out rough surfaces -- reducing the "washboard" effect many rural drivers are familiar with.

"It's better than it was but it still needs work," one resident said.

In some cases, the storm didn't deposit enough moisture and trucks sprayed additional water on roads before graders could work. In other cases, roads are too wet and require more drying before they can be addressed.

Keeping dust down is another benefit of moisture from the storm.

"The dust can be so bad that it limits visibility and causes accidents," a resident said. "It can be hard to see coming over a hill or going around a curve."

Midway residents said the effects of road smoothing will last from several weeks to a month before roads become bumpy again, and wish the county would pave Indian Village Road -- a major community road that passes a school and a fire station.

Scot Cuthbertson, the county's public works executive director, said crews normally have a rotating schedule of performing maintenance every 8 to 12 weeks.

"It takes almost 20 passes on a road by a grader to get it just right," he said. "We want to make it smooth but we also have to make sure it drains properly. We have 23 crews and we do the best with what we have."

Cuthbertson said some crews have volunteered to work overtime this weekend to take advantage of the improved conditions for gravel road maintenance.