Street resurfacing controversy arises in Security-Widefield

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The talk in this community just southeast of Colorado Springs is less about the many streets getting resurfaced this week, and more about two streets that aren't.

The county has hired a contractor -- Rocky Mountain Pavement, of Denver -- to perform slurry-sealing on numerous side streets and main streets.

As KRDO 13 first reported last week, the process is fairly new to the area and is considered a step above the traditional chip-sealing treatment; it's designed to target a street early in the deterioration process and extend the life of pavement before it is eventually milled and repaved.

But many neighbors are raising questions about the process, saying that some streets didn't need it and that in some instances, the materials weren't applied well.

"I would rather have the old road back," said Sally Atherton, who lives on Frontier Drive. "They could have (done) a better job. I didn't think (Frontier) was that bad to begin with. It feels like you're driving on a flat tire (now)."

County officials explained that the resurfacing is necessary to keep streets from deteriorating further and extend the time that they can be driven on before a full repaving is needed.

However, Bison Drive and Chimayo Drive are not being resurfaced because the county said they're in the worst condition and need to be repaved -- which is more expensive.

There is no timetable yet for when that repaving will happen, and that upsets homeowners who have lived along the two streets for decades.

"The sidewalks are so bad, I can't even use them any more because they're a trip hazard and I keep getting hurt on them," said Bison resident Michael Alger. "But yeah, we're frustrated. We've been fighting with the county for 20 years to have them do something on our street."

The county said that it understands the frustration but emphasizes that resurfacing streets that need a full repaving would be a waste of taxpayer money.

Robley Kefauver lives on the resurfaced Cactus Drive.

"I used to work in road paving," he said. "I have a better understanding as to why those roads have not been done, and you have to think that when you have faith in the people who are working around you, you don't have as many questions. After talking with those gentlemen on the job, I had faith in what they were doing. So, I really didn't have a question about the side roads and I like this slurry-sealing that they're doing."

Meanwhile, conditions on Bison and Chimayo continue to decline -- with cracks, potholes and even weeds growing from the cracks.